Some statistically significant differences between citalopram and other antidepressants for the acute phase treatment of major depression were found in terms of efficacy , tolerability and acceptability .
Citalopram was more efficacious than paroxetine and reboxetine and more acceptable than tricyclics , reboxetine and venlafaxine , however , it seemed to be less efficacious than escitalopram .
BACKGROUND Recent US and UK clinical practice guidelines recommend that second-generation antidepressants should be considered amongst the best first-line options when drug therapy is indicated for a depressive episode .
Systematic review s have already highlighted some differences in efficacy between second-generation antidepressants .
Citalopram , one of the first selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors ( SSRI ) introduced in the market , is one of these antidepressant drugs that clinicians use for routine depression care .
OBJECTIVES To assess the evidence for the efficacy , acceptability and tolerability of citalopram in comparison with tricyclics , heterocyclics , other SSRIs and other conventional and non-conventional antidepressants in the acute-phase treatment of major depression .
Efficacy of intravenous citalopram compared with oral citalopram for severe depression. Safety and efficacy data from a double-blind, double-dummy trial.
BACKGROUND Intravenous administration is often beneficial in the treatment of severely depressed patients . It is mainly the tri- and tetracyclic antidepressant drugs that can be administered intravenously . However , these drugs have a less favourable safety profile than newer antidepressants , such as the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors ( SSRIs ) . Citalopram is the only SSRI that is available in a formulation for infusion . This double-blind , r and omised , multicentre trial was design ed to compare the efficacy and tolerability of citalopram infusion ( 40 mg per day ) and citalopram tablet ( 40 mg per day ) . METHODS Patients were r and omised to receive either placebo tablet plus citalopram infusion ( the infusion group ; n=135 ) or citalopram tablet plus placebo infusion ( the tablet group ; n=119 ) . After receiving r and omised treatment for eight days , all patients entered an open treatment phase , during which they received oral citalopram 40 mg per day for five weeks . RESULTS Although there was no difference in Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale ( MADRS ) scores at the end of the r and omised treatment period , by the end of the open treatment phase the reduction in MADRS scores was significantly greater in the infusion group than in the tablet group ( p=0.015 ) . The infusion group also showed superior efficacy in Clinical Global Impressions assessment s. Citalopram was equally well tolerated in both treatment groups . CONCLUSIONS This trial confirmed the efficacy of citalopram 40 mg per day , and clearly supports the use of citalopram infusion in the treatment of severely depressed , hospitalised patients
Some statistically significant differences between citalopram and other antidepressants for the acute phase treatment of major depression were found in terms of efficacy , tolerability and acceptability .
Citalopram was more efficacious than paroxetine and reboxetine and more acceptable than tricyclics , reboxetine and venlafaxine , however , it seemed to be less efficacious than escitalopram .
BACKGROUND Recent US and UK clinical practice guidelines recommend that second-generation antidepressants should be considered amongst the best first-line options when drug therapy is indicated for a depressive episode .
Systematic review s have already highlighted some differences in efficacy between second-generation antidepressants .
Citalopram , one of the first selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors ( SSRI ) introduced in the market , is one of these antidepressant drugs that clinicians use for routine depression care .
OBJECTIVES To assess the evidence for the efficacy , acceptability and tolerability of citalopram in comparison with tricyclics , heterocyclics , other SSRIs and other conventional and non-conventional antidepressants in the acute-phase treatment of major depression .