Romanian Society of Pharmaceutical Sciences
 

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THE EFFICACY OF ANTIDEPRESIVE TREATMENT ON COVID-19 PANDEMIC-RELATED DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS – A PROSPECTIVE, SINGLE-CENTER, QUESTIONNAIRE-BASED STUDY

ANDREEA SĂLCUDEAN 1#, BIANCA-EUGENIA ŐSZ 2#*, ANDREEA GEORGIANA NAN 3,
ANDREEA BIANCA SASU 3, MARIA MELANIA COZMA 1, MARIANA CORNELIA TILINCA 4, ANDRADA RALUCA BOCSAK-POP 5, ELENA GABRIELA STRETE 6

1Department of Ethics and Social Sciences, “George Emil Palade” University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and
Technology of Târgu Mureș, 540142, Romania
2 Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacy, “George Emil Palade” University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology of Târgu Mureș, 540142, Romania
3 Psychiatry Clinic 1, County Clinical Hospital Mures, Targu Mures, Romania
4 Department of Internal Medicine, “George Emil Palade” University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology of Târgu Mureș, 540142, Romania
5 Emergency County Hospital of Târgu Mureș, 540042, Romania
6 Department of Psychiatry, “George Emil Palade” University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology of Târgu Mureș, 540142, Romania

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The COVID-19 pandemic has considerably influenced the well-being of the general population, not only from a physical point of view due to the acute conditions manifested during the viral infection but also due to the long-term complications of the infection or as a result of mood changes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on depressive symptoms and treatment compliance, with an emphasis on duloxetine, among the population of Mureș County. For 3 months, 304 patients (diagnosed with depression) completed a 16-item questionnaire during their visit to the psychiatrist. Most of the patients reported that during the pandemic they suffered from sleep disorders, eating disorders, pain (not experienced until that moment), and feelings of devaluation. Among the factors identified as responsible for these changes, fear of illness and/or the death of a family member were most frequently distinguished. From our observations, the patients were compliant with the treatment and admitted that the medication helped them overcome this period more easily. The COVID-19 pandemic has left its mark on the health of the entire population, and antidepressant treatment has been extremely important among vulnerable patients.