Depression in Managed Care: Costs of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors

DESIGN: Review of data from articles identified in a Medline search, meeting presentations, and independent market research that are relevant to the costs associated with treating depression. Studies were included if they compared depression treatment costs with tricyclic antidepressants to those with one of the leading selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) or if they compared treatment costs among the leading SSRIs. Data were extracted on drug acquisition costs, concomitant medications, dose titration, multitablet/multi-capsule therapy, duration of therapy, and overall treatment costs.