The number of previous treatments with antidepressants was negatively correlated with treatment outcome .
After a first SSRI , any switch within or between classes of antidepressants appears legitimate ( second SSRI , novel dual-acting antidepressants , selective norepinephrine or nor-adrenergic/dopaminergic agents , or tricyclic anti-depressant or mianserin ) .
No unequivocal evidence is available to prove an advantage of a between-class switch .
OBJECTIVE Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors ( SSRIs ) are frequently used as a first antidepressant for major depressive disorder but have response rates of 50 % to 60 % in daily practice .
For patients with insufficient response to SSRIs , switching is often applied .
This article aims to systematic ally review the evidence for switching pharmacotherapy after a first SSRI .
Monoamine oxidase inhibitors in resistant major depression. A double-blind comparison of brofaromine and tranylcypromine in patients resistant to tricyclic antidepressants.
In a double-blind study the selective monoamine oxidase-A inhibitor brofaromine was compared with the classical MAOI tranylcypromine in 39 patients with major depression resistant to treatment with tricyclic antidepressants .  Concerning efficacy no significant differences were found . Ten out of 22 patients responded to brofaromine and 5 out of 17 patients to tranylcypromine .  Adverse effects favoured brofaromine . Although orthostatic hypotension occurred in both groups , severe decrease in blood pressure and dizziness occurred significantly more with tranylcypromine . Both MAOIs caused a decrease in stage 4 and REM sleep and an increase in REM latency . In most patients receiving tranylcypromine  REM sleep was completely abolished
The number of previous treatments with antidepressants was negatively correlated with treatment outcome .
After a first SSRI , any switch within or between classes of antidepressants appears legitimate ( second SSRI , novel dual-acting antidepressants , selective norepinephrine or nor-adrenergic/dopaminergic agents , or tricyclic anti-depressant or mianserin ) .
No unequivocal evidence is available to prove an advantage of a between-class switch .
OBJECTIVE Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors ( SSRIs ) are frequently used as a first antidepressant for major depressive disorder but have response rates of 50 % to 60 % in daily practice .
For patients with insufficient response to SSRIs , switching is often applied .
This article aims to systematic ally review the evidence for switching pharmacotherapy after a first SSRI .