ANTIDEPRESSANT AUGMENTATION WITH LITHIUM

Depression is one of the most prevalent disorders seen in primary care . About 50% of depression is treated in general medical settings. Alth ough depression is highly treatable, incomplete response to a single a ntidepressant is common. We describe two clinical cases in which antid epressant augmentation was a therapeutic option and lithium carbonate was an appropriate choice. A brief review of the practical aspects of the clinical pharmacology of lithium is included. Lithium is a well-to lerated, safe, and effective medication for antidepressant augmentatio n.