Tricyclics and newer antidepressant medications: Treatment options for treatment‐resistant depressions

Only about 60–70% of those depressed patients who can tolerate an antidepressant medication, and only about 50–60% of those who begin a medication will respond to the first trial. Furthermore, 5–10% will remain depressed despite multiple medication trials. When the disorder is poorly responsive, it is variously described as a resistant, refractory, or intractable depression. This review summarizes the available literature on treatment‐resistant depression (TRD) to provide recommendations for the most rational alternative strategies. Depression 2:152–168 (1994/1995).