treatment-resistant
Condition that fails to respond adequately to standard therapeutic interventions despite appropriate duration and dosing.
Full Definition
Treatment-resistant refers to psychiatric conditions that do not show expected improvement with first-line therapies. Specific criteria vary by disorder, but generally involve failure of at least two adequate trials of different therapeutic approaches. For depression, this typically means lack of response to two different antidepressants given at therapeutic doses for sufficient duration (usually 6-8 weeks). Treatment resistance may be due to incorrect diagnosis, medication non-adherence, inadequate dosing, comorbid conditions, or biological factors. Management strategies include augmentation therapy, combination treatments, switching medication classes, or considering alternative treatments like ECT or TMS.
Usage
Usage note: Use hyphens when used as compound adjective (treatment-resistant depression).
In Context
- "The case was classified as treatment-resistant depression after three failed antidepressant trials." — clinical assessment
- "Treatment-resistant patients may benefit from specialized consultation and alternative therapies." — treatment guideline