Pharmacotherapy of ADHD in adults with comorbid depression

Objective: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common disorder with a high prevalence of 2-6% in adults. The often distinctive clinical symptomatology has a great practical relevance and the diagnostic demarcation of other psychiatric illnesses can be difficult which underlines the necessity of a differential and careful diagnosis. ADHD is a risk factor for comorbid disorders like anxiety, personality disorders and addiction. Comorbid depression is also frequent and has an important meaning in the differential diagnostic process.

Methods: A review was made about diagnostics and pharmacotherapy of ADHD with comorbid depression.

Conclusions: For the combination treatment of ADHD with comorbid depression there are good pharmacological procedures of treatment. Here in particular modern antidepressants with noradrenergic or noradrenergic-serotonergic active principles play an important role. Very important is an exact diagnosis and differentiated treatment of ADHD, i.e. a "multimodal therapy" using pharmacological and psychotherapeutic concepts.