Drug may prevent recurrence of depression in patients with diabetes

WUSM professor Patrick Lustman meets with a patient.A team of researchers at the School of Medicine has found that an antidepressant medication may reduce the risk of recurrent depression and increase the length of time between depressive episodes in patients with diabetes. Controlling depression in diabetes is important in helping patients manage their blood sugar. As depression improves, glucose levels also tend to improve.

Antidepressant drug may prevent recurrence of depression in patients with diabetes

Patrick Lustman meets with a patient.A team of researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has found that an antidepressant medication may reduce the risk of recurrent depression and increase the length of time between depressive episodes in patients with diabetes. Controlling depression in diabetes is important in helping patients manage their blood sugar. As depression improves, glucose levels also tend to improve. Although depression affects about 5 percent of the general population, the rate is about 25 percent for patients with diabetes. More…