When alprazolam was compared with placebo for reduction in symptoms all estimates indicated a positive effect for alprazolam .
The RD of all-cause withdrawals did not differ between alprazolam and placebo .
Alprazolam appears to reduce depressive symptoms more effectively than placebo and as effectively as tricyclic antidepressants .
Whilst the rate of all-cause withdrawals did not appear to differ between alprazolam and placebo , and withdrawals were less frequent in the alprazolam group than in any of the conventional antidepressants combined group , these findings should be interpreted with caution , given the dependency properties of benzodiazepines
BACKGROUND The ' off-label ' effect of alprazolam on depression has not been systematic ally evaluated .
OBJECTIVES To determine the antidepressant effect , including tolerability and acceptability , of alprazolam as monotherapy for major depression , when compared to placebo and conventional antidepressants in out patients and patients in primary care .
Alprazolam compared to amitriptyline in the treatment of major depression
ABSTRACT — In a double‐blind r and omized study the therapeutic effect and safety of alprazolam was compared with amitriptyline in 81 out patients suffering from major depression . Variable dosages of both drugs were used , the mean final dose of alprazolam being 3.05 and that of amitriptyline 130 mg . Both treatment groups improved steadily , assessed weekly with the use of the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression , and no significant differences were found between the groups , either on comparison between single items or total scores . On several of the criteria used for assessment of treatment response , however , more patients responded to amitriptyline than to alprazolam . In an analysis of specific subgroups , patients whose depression was accompanied by retardation , those in whom there were no precipitating factors and those with low levels of anxiety , responded better to amitriptyline . Considerably fewer side effects were reported by patients receiving alprazolam . In particular , there was a significantly lower incidence of dry mouth , light‐headedness , tremor and tachycardia in patients receiving alprazolam compared with amitriptyline
When alprazolam was compared with placebo for reduction in symptoms all estimates indicated a positive effect for alprazolam .
The RD of all-cause withdrawals did not differ between alprazolam and placebo .
Alprazolam appears to reduce depressive symptoms more effectively than placebo and as effectively as tricyclic antidepressants .
Whilst the rate of all-cause withdrawals did not appear to differ between alprazolam and placebo , and withdrawals were less frequent in the alprazolam group than in any of the conventional antidepressants combined group , these findings should be interpreted with caution , given the dependency properties of benzodiazepines
BACKGROUND The ' off-label ' effect of alprazolam on depression has not been systematic ally evaluated .
OBJECTIVES To determine the antidepressant effect , including tolerability and acceptability , of alprazolam as monotherapy for major depression , when compared to placebo and conventional antidepressants in out patients and patients in primary care .