Amitriptyline is an efficacious antidepressant drug .
It is , however , also associated with a number of side effects .
Degree of placebo response and severity of depression at baseline may moderate drug-placebo efficacy differences
BACKGROUND Amitriptyline is a tricyclic antidepressant that was synthesis ed in 1960 and introduced as early as 1961 in the USA , but is still regularly used .
It has also been frequently used as an active comparator in trials on newer antidepressants and can therefore be called a ' benchmark ' antidepressant .
However , its efficacy and safety compared to placebo in the treatment of major depression has not been assessed in a systematic review and meta- analysis .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effects of amitriptyline compared to placebo or no treatment for major depressive disorder in adults .
Weight changes in antidepressants: a comparison of amitriptyline and trazodone.
Weight data taken from a 6-week r and omized double-blind study comparing amitriptyline , trazodone and placebo were analyzed to determine differential weight changes between the two drugs . In 272 depressed out patients doses were increased over a period of 4 days to reach a maximum level of 200 mg amitriptyline or 400 mg trazodone . After grouping the subjects according to initial weights ( ideal , overweight , 20 % above , and underweight , 20 % below ) mean changes were determined for each treatment . The results indicate that amitriptyline , which differed from placebo and trazodone , produced significantly higher weight gains in the ideal and overweight groups . Trazodone on the other h and produced a slight weight loss in the overweight group . Due to a low number of patients in the underweight group , the results were not significantly statistically . The antidepressant effects of both trazodone and amitriptyline were the same and no correlations between Hamilton scores and weight change were found
Amitriptyline is an efficacious antidepressant drug .
It is , however , also associated with a number of side effects .
Degree of placebo response and severity of depression at baseline may moderate drug-placebo efficacy differences
BACKGROUND Amitriptyline is a tricyclic antidepressant that was synthesis ed in 1960 and introduced as early as 1961 in the USA , but is still regularly used .
It has also been frequently used as an active comparator in trials on newer antidepressants and can therefore be called a ' benchmark ' antidepressant .
However , its efficacy and safety compared to placebo in the treatment of major depression has not been assessed in a systematic review and meta- analysis .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effects of amitriptyline compared to placebo or no treatment for major depressive disorder in adults .