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 .
Antidepressant pharmacotherapy in the treatment of depression in the very old: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial.
OBJECTIVE This study determined the efficacy of antidepressant medication for the treatment of depression in the " old-old . " METHOD This r and omized 8-week medication trial compared citalopram , 10 - 40 mg/day , to placebo in the treatment of patients 75 and older with unipolar depression . RESULTS A total of 174 patients who were 58 % women with a mean age of 79.6 years ( SD=4.4 ) and a mean baseline Hamilton Depression Rating Scale score of 24.3 ( SD=4.1 ) were r and omly assigned to treatment at 15 sites . There was a main effect for site but not for treatment condition . The remission rate , defined as a final Hamilton depression scale score < 10 , was 35 % for the citalopram and 33 % for the placebo groups . However , patients with severe depression ( baseline Hamilton depression scale score > 24 ) tended to have a higher remission rate with medication than with placebo ( 35 % versus 19 % ) . CONCLUSIONS In the oldest group of community-dwelling patients to be studied to date , medication was not more effective than placebo for the treatment of depression . However , given the considerable psychosocial support received by all patients , the placebo condition represents more than the ingestion of an inactive pill . Across sites , there was considerable range in response to medication , 18 % to 82 % , and to placebo , 16 % to 80 %
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 .