Reports from Hannover Medical School Add New Data to Findings in Mental Disorders (Antidepressant drug use in Europe: past consumption, prescribing patterns and forecast until 2030).

This article focuses on a study from Hannover Medical School analyzing antidepressant (AD) consumption trends across 25 European countries from 1980 to 2024, with forecasts to 2030. The research, using data from the OECD Data Explorer, found that AD use has generally increased, with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) being the most prescribed subgroup, followed by miscellaneous ADs, while non-selective monoamine reuptake inhibitors (NSMRIs) and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAO-Is) show declining use. Regional differences were noted, with Northern Europe exhibiting the highest AD consumption and Eastern Europe the lowest, influenced by factors such as healthcare systems, cultural attitudes, and resource availability. The study highlights evolving prescribing patterns reflecting treatment guidelines, tolerability considerations, and safety concerns. [Extracted from the article]