Abstract:
Depression affects nearly 350 million people worldwide. Local data indicates that approximately 17% of all South Africans will
experience at least one episode of depression in their lifetime. Depressive disorders contribute significantly towards overall
morbidity and increased risk for suicide. Antidepressant therapy remains one of the cornerstones in the management of depressive
disorders. Although the efficacy of antidepressive drugs is continuously subjected to criticism, thousands of controlled clinical
trials have shown, and will continue to show, their benefit in the effective treatment of depressive disorders. Since the introduction
of antidepressants in the early 1950s, researchers have been searching for an ideal antidepressant able to adequately reduce,
preserve and prevent features of depression with the absence of side effects. This article summarizes the currently available
antidepressant drugs in South Africa. Discontinued products have been omitted and newly registered agents have been added.
This review does not contain reference to any experimental drug, or substances not yet available for local use.
