Antidepressant Treatment of Medical-Surgical Inpatients by Nonpsychiatric Physicians

The prescribing of antidepressants by nonpsychiatric physicians on adult medical-surgical inpatient services of a university hospital was examined through the review of medical records of patients who received amitriptyline hydrochloride, doxepin hydrochloride, or imipramine hydrochloride during a one-year period. Reasons for antidepressant use were treatment of depression (56%), pain (30%), or other conditions (14%). Regardless of the reason for use, nonpsychiatric physicians were found to use relatively low dosages, rarely plan or effect dosage increases, and rarely discontinue medication.