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Clinical challenges in MDD patients with comorbid disorders

SAN DIEGO — In a video interview, W. Clay Jackson, MD, DipTh, clinical assistant professor of family medicine and psychiatry, University of Tennessee College of Medicine, talked about his presentation on the treatment of major depressive disorder with comorbid disorders.

In his presentation, Jackson mainly focused on lesser known comorbid disorders, like substance use disorder. Some strategies for treating MDD and alcohol use disorder can be combined, such as sertraline and naltrexone, he said in the video.

He also spoke about the importance of adherence. Many patients with psychiatric illness just don’t take their medications in the way that we think they do, but clinicians can help improve adherence by explaining how the medication works, that antidepressants are not addictive, exactly how to take the medication and potential adverse and positive events. Jackson also discussed the challenges of treating more complex patients with MDD with mixed features.

“Understanding the complexity of that presentation becomes critical in making sure that we have the right diagnosis, which generally leads to more correct treatment and a better outcome with those patients,” he said.

Disclosures: Jackson reports consulting for Genentech, Otsuka and Sunovion.