Response to Macrina Severino C

Collapse SubdiscussionMacrina S Chidarikire

Macrina S Chidarikire (She/Her)

YesterdayJul 28 at 8:04pm

MDD Treatment Discussion Post

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        Carline, I support the MDD diagnosis based on the patient’s presenting symptoms which align with the DSM-V criteria. I want to add that failure to treat MDD rapidly and effectively may result in cognitive impairment, especially in older adults. Cognitive impairment mediates functional impairment, compromising patient health outcomes and quality of life (Zuckerman et al., 2018)(MDD Treatment Discussion Post). Early identification and intervention by providers ensure the best possible individualized care without delay to optimize patient outcomes (Oluboka et al., 2018). Research shows that using a patient-centered approach with MDD treatments, aligning the treatment plan with the patient’s symptomatology, preferences, providing patient education on therapy options, possible adverse effects, and expected recovery course helps with treatment goal setting and adherence to achieve positive outcomes (Oluboka et al., 2018).(MDD Treatment Discussion Post)

        Treatment options to prevent functional impairment include CBT, a well-researched therapeutic modality for treating and managing cognitive thought patterns prevalent in MDD (Zuckerman et al., 2018)(MDD Treatment Discussion Post). Physical activity, nutrition, weight loss, and establishing a robust social network are beneficial for cognitive improvement, reducing depressive symptoms, and mitigating recurrence for this patient. Vortioxetine is the only FDA-approved drug for MDD with pro-cognitive effects (Zuckerman et al., 2018). Therapeutic strategies that target cognitive and mood symptoms are essential for successful long-term remission and functional recovery in MDD.(MDD Treatment Discussion Post)

References

Oluboka, O.J., Katzman, M.A., Habert, J., McIntosh, D., MacQueen, G.M., Milev, R.V., McIntyre,

R.S., & Blier, P. (2018). Functional recovery in major depressive disorder: Providing early optimal treatment for the individual patient. International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology, 21(2), 128–144. https://doi.org/10.1093/ijnp/pyx081Links to an external site.

Zuckerman, H., Pan, Z., Park, C., Brietzke, E., Musial, N., Shariq, A. S., … & McIntyre, R. S. (2018).

Recognition and treatment of cognitive dysfunction in major depressive

Solution

Response to Macrina

Hello Macrina,

            Great post! Your discussion was insightful and engaging. I support your claims that failure to treat MDD rapidly and effectively may lead to cognitive impairments. Therefore, mental practitioners should be mandated to conduct comprehensive mental health assessments to promote accurate diagnosis. Early detection of MDD aids in devising intervention strategies as early as possible, thus promoting remission, preventing relapse, and reducing the financial and emotional burden of the condition on the patients, their families, and the community. Most mental health practitioners have historically applied the ‘start low and go slow’ approach in managing MDD (Zhang et al., 2022). For instance, some practitioners may initiate treatment for MDD and continue it for six to eight weeks before declaring that it has failed. However, current research asserts that MDD should be treated with greater urgency. As such, treating MDD patients without any urgency prolongs their suffering. Moreover, delaying appropriate treatment reduces the likelihood of asymptomatic remission and functional recovery. (MDD Treatment Discussion Post)

            Almeida et al. (2020) assert that around 50% of chronically ill patients may fail to adhere to medical directives regardless of the drug efficacy of latency. Thus, healthcare professionals should be aware that the psychological impacts of MDD lead to poor adherence. Effective multidisciplinary health teams are required to improve treatment adherence among MDD. Treatment compliance and tolerability should be assessed for the long term, starting with the first to last patient visit. In this case, psychologists and mental health practitioners should collaborate with other health care professionals to assist the patient in understanding their therapeutic roles and the potential side effects, thus improving their treatment compliance. Implementing treatment targeting different symptoms may promote compliance as patients note the benefits of the prescribed interventions easily. Of importance, personalized treatment approaches promote compliance to elicit better results through avoiding and managing complications.(MDD Treatment Discussion Post)

References

Almeida, S. S., Zizzi, F. B., Cattaneo, A., Comandini, A., Di Dato, G., Lubrano, E., Pellicano, C., Spallone, V., Tongiani, S., & Torta, R. (2020). Management and Treatment of Patients With Major Depressive Disorder and Chronic Diseases: A Multidisciplinary Approach. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 542444. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.542444(MDD Treatment Discussion Post)

Zhang, X., Zhang, Z., Diao, W., Zhou, C., Song, Y., Wang, R., … & Liu, G. (2022). Early diagnosis of major depressive disorder: From biomarkers to point-of-care testing. TrAC Trends in Analytical Chemistry, 116904. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trac.2022.116904