HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Aina, Y. Articles by Susman, J. L. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Aina, Y. Articles by Susman, J. L.

From the College of Medicine at the University of Cincinnati, Ohio, where Dr Aina is a resident in the Combined Family Medicine–Psychiatry Program and Dr Susman is the Fred Lazarus, Jr, professor and chairman of the Department of Family Medicine. Dr Susman serves as editor of the Journal of Family Practice and the American Academy of Family Physicians' (AAFP) FP essentials program.

Address correspondence to Jeffrey L. Susman, MD, Department of Family Medicine, Box 670582, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45267-0582. E-mail: susmanjl{at}uc.edu

Comorbidity is the rule with anxiety and depressive disorders. Anxiety and major depressive disorder are often comorbid with each other; these disorders are commonly associated with other psychiatric disorders; and they are frequently found coexisting with long-standing chronic medical conditions such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes mellitus. The comorbidity of major depressive and anxiety disorders is associated with barriers to treatment and worse psychiatric outcomes, including treatment resistance, increased risk for suicide, greater chance for recurrence, and greater utilization of medical resources. Effective recognition and treatment of anxiety and depression may be associated with functional improvement in the medical disorders (eg, lower HbA_1c level in patients with diabetes). Paying careful attention to the development of anxiety and depression may also positively impact the economic burden of these disorders.

To help primary care physicians better understand the comorbidity of depression and anxiety and medical disorders, the authors describe three case scenarios.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				B. N. Gaynes, B. W. Pence, J. J. Eron Jr, and W. C. Miller Prevalence and Comorbidity of Psychiatric Diagnoses Based on Reference Standard in an HIV+ Patient Population Psychosom Med, May 1, 2008; 70(4): 505 - 511. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. C. CYMET Sexually Activated or Transmitted? Questions About HPV. J Am Osteopath Assoc, July 1, 2006; 106(7): 423 - 423. [Full Text] [PDF]