SSRIs significantly increase the risk of both serious and non-serious adverse events .
The potential small beneficial effects seem to be outweighed by harmful effects .
Background The evidence on selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors ( SSRIs ) for major depressive disorder is unclear .
Methods Our objective was to conduct a systematic review assessing the effects of SSRIs versus placebo , ‘ active ’ placebo , or no intervention in adult participants with major depressive disorder .
A double-blind placebo-controlled study of fluvoxamine and imipramine in out-patients with primary depression.
1 A double-blind placebo-controlled study of fluvoxamine and imipramine was performed in a group of depressed patients . Twenty-two patients received fluvoxamine ( mean dose 101 mg/day ) , 25 received imipramine ( mean dose 127 mg/day ) and 22 received placebo . 2 Apart from an increase in the SGOT and SGPT values of four imipramine patients , no statistically significant changes in haematology or urinalysis were judged to be medically relevant . Fluvoxamine exhibited fewer anticholinergic side effects than imipramine . 3 Both fluvoxamine treated patients and imipramine-treated patients exhibited a statistically significant improvement at the end of the 28-day treatment period with respect to the placebo patients , as measured using the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression , and the Clinical Global Impression Scale . Evaluations of the results of the Beck Depression Inventory and the Profile of Mood States revealed a statistically significant improvement for imipramine patients with respect to placebo at week 4 , but not for fluvoxamine patients . It is postulated on the basis of quantitative pharmaco-EEG findings , that the slight superiority of imipramine over fluvoxamine was due to underdosing of the latter
SSRIs significantly increase the risk of both serious and non-serious adverse events .
The potential small beneficial effects seem to be outweighed by harmful effects .
Background The evidence on selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors ( SSRIs ) for major depressive disorder is unclear .
Methods Our objective was to conduct a systematic review assessing the effects of SSRIs versus placebo , ‘ active ’ placebo , or no intervention in adult participants with major depressive disorder .