Anthony Rothschild, MD, a professor at the Irving S. and Betty Brudnick Endowed Chair of Psychiatry, University of Massachusetts Medical School, says that many primary care physicians feel more comfortable prescribing newer anti-depressant drugs with fewer side effects.
Anthony Rothschild, MD, a professor at the Irving S. and Betty Brudnick Endowed Chair of Psychiatry, University of Massachusetts Medical School, says that many primary care physicians feel more comfortable prescribing newer anti-depressant drugs with fewer side effects.
He adds that patients who are diagnosed with depression for the 1st time are often done so by their primary care physician. This is because he or she may not have believed they were suffering from depression and would not have previously considered contacting a psychiatrist. Physicians are in a “unique position” to diagnose patients with depression and to prescribe an anti-depressant drug regimen.
However, Dr Rothschild explains that there are certain types of depression that should not be handled by primary care physicians alone. He recommends that primary care physicians refer patients who suffer from conditions such as psychotic depression or bipolar disorder to a psychiatrist, as they can be more complicated.
“It’s not unusual for me to see patients with depression who may have had 1 trial of an anti-depressant from their primary care physician,” Dr Rothschild says. “If it works out, I don’t ever see them. But, if it doesn’t work out then and it becomes a little more complicated, then the primary care doctor will refer the patient to a psychiatrist.”
Dr Rothschild also serves as director at the UMass Medical Depression Center and Center for Psychopharmacologic Research and Treatment, and as a program director at the Mood Disorders Comprehensive Consultation Clinic at UMass Memorial Medical Center.
Dr Dalia Rotstein: Physicians Must Be Aware MS Affects People of All Backgrounds
April 24th 2024Dalia Rotstein, MD, MPH, emphazises the importance of awareness that multiple sclerosis (MS) impacts patients from various backgrounds as clinicians think through ways to improve access to care and research efforts in MS.
Read More
Empowering Community Health Through Wellness and Faith
April 23rd 2024To help celebrate and recognize National Minority Health Month, we are bringing you a special month-long podcast series with our Strategic Alliance Partner, UPMC Health Plan. In the third episode, Camille Clarke-Smith, EdD, MS, CHES, CPT, discusses approaching community health holistically through spiritual and community engagement.
Listen
Beyond Insulin: The Impact of Next-Generation Diabetes Technology
April 17th 2024Experts explain how new diabetes technologies like continuous glucose monitors are transforming care beyond intensive insulin therapy, offering personalized insights and improving outcomes for patients of all treatment levels.
Read More
Overcoming Employment Barriers for Lasting Social Impact: Freedom House 2.0 and Pathways to Work
April 16th 2024To help celebrate and recognize National Minority Health Month, we are bringing you a special month-long podcast series with our Strategic Alliance Partner, UPMC Health Plan. Welcome to our second episode, in which we learn all about Freedom House 2.0 and the Pathways to Work program.
Listen
Increasing Lp(a) Awareness for Better Cardiovascular Health: Dr Mary McGowan
March 24th 2024For Lp(a) Awareness Day, Mary McGowan, MD, FNLA, chief medical officer of the Family Heart Foundation, highlights how most people with elevated Lp(a) are completely unaware that they have this increased risk and calls for increased testing.
Read More