Inadequate Response to Treatment in Major Depressive Disorder: Augmentation and Adjunctive Strategies

Abstract

​​​​ About 30%-50% of patients experience inadequate response to antidepressant therapy, and treatment choices for these patients include augmenting the antidepressant with another therapy, increasing the dose, switching to a different antidepressant, or combining antidepressants. Clinicians should tailor treatment strategies based on patients' response, tolerability, and disease severity. In this activity, augmentation and adjunctive strategies involving atypical antipsychotics, as well as off-label options including buspirone, stimulants, thyroid hormone, and lithium, are reviewed.​ ​.