Coexisting Depression and Anxiety: Classification and Treatment

Despite of the fact, that comorbidity of depression and anxiety is a frequent condition in clinical practice, current psychiatric classification systems (according to WHO-ICD 10 and according to APA-DSM IV-TR) are not taking this reality into account sufficiently. The concept of anxious depression is very important for clinical practice. Recommended guidelines and algorithms of treatment based on evidence based medicine (EBM), established mainly on randomized controlled trials are designed separately for depression and separately for anxious disorders. This presents very often a significant complication in clinical practice. The aim of this article was to bring the concept of anxious depression to closer attention with highlighting of possible therapeutic approaches.