treatment-resistant depression
Also written as: TRD — treatment-resistant depression
Major depressive disorder that fails to respond adequately to standard antidepressant treatments.
Full Definition
Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) refers to major depressive disorder that does not achieve adequate symptom improvement despite trials of appropriate antidepressant medications at therapeutic doses for sufficient duration. The condition affects approximately 30% of individuals with major depression and presents significant clinical challenges. TRD is typically defined as failure to respond to two or more antidepressants from different pharmacological classes. These cases often require specialized interventions such as medication augmentation, combination therapy, or novel treatments like electroconvulsive therapy or transcranial magnetic stimulation.
Usage
Usage note: Always hyphenate the compound modifier; commonly abbreviated as TRD in clinical contexts.
In Context
- "The patient's treatment-resistant depression required consultation with a specialized mood disorders clinic." — Referral documentation
- "Novel therapeutic approaches show promise for patients with treatment-resistant depression who have exhausted standard options." — Clinical research abstract