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 .
Escitalopram 10 mg/day is effective and well tolerated in a placebo-controlled study in depression in primary care
Escitalopram , a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor ( SSRI ) , was compared to placebo in a study of patients with major depressive disorder ( DSM-IV ) who had baseline Montgomery – Åsberg Depression Rating Scale ( MADRS ) total scores ≥22 and ≤40 . After a 1-week , single-blind placebo period , patients were r and omized to receive escitalopram 10 mg/day  ( n = 191 ) or placebo  ( n = 189 ) in an 8-week , double-blind period . The primary efficacy analysis of adjusted mean change in MADRS total score from baseline showed a statistically significantly larger effect for escitalopram than for placebo with a treatment difference at week 8 ( last observation carried forward , LOCF ) of 2.7 points ( SE 0.85;P = 0.002 ) . In further by-week efficacy analyses , the effect of escitalopram was consistently larger than that of placebo ( P < 0.05 ) beginning at week 1 ( Clinical Global Impression – Improvement score ) , week 2 ( MADRS score ) or week 3 ( Clinical Global Impression – Severity score ) . Escitalopram was very well tolerated with a low overall withdrawal rate similar to that for placebo . Nausea was the only adverse event reported significantly more in escitalopram-treated patients than in placebo-treated patients , although it was infrequent and transient . Escitalopram 10 mg/day had a statistically significantly better antidepressant effect than placebo as early as week 1 , and was safe and very well tolerated
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 .