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A multicenter double-blind trial of paroxetine versus amitriptyline in depressed inpatients.
Department of Psychiatry, Innsbruck University Hospital, Austria.
The phenylpiperidine derivative paroxetine is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor. In a double-blind 6-week trial, paroxetine was compared with amitriptyline in hospitalized patients suffering from major depression (DSM-III). One hundred fifty-three patients were enrolled in the study in seven centers in Austria and Germany. Results showed similar efficacy of both drugs after 6 weeks. The differences between groups in Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale and Clinical Global Impression ratings did not reach statistical significance at any time. Side effects were distributed similarly but with a significantly higher incidence of anticholinergic effects in patients treated with amitriptyline (p < or = 0.001), whereas agitation and insomnia were registered more often in the paroxetine group. This study supports the antidepressive efficacy of paroxetine in a sample of severely depressed inpatients.
PMID: 7962679 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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Cited by 2 PubMed Central articles
Patient Drug Information
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Amitriptyline (Limbitrol® (as a combination product containing amitriptyline and chlordiazepoxide), Limbitrol® DS (as a combination product containing amitriptyline and chlordiazepoxide))
Amitriptyline is used to treat symptoms of depression. Amitriptyline is in a class of medications called tricyclic antidepressants. It works by increasing the amounts of certain natural substances in the brain that are n...
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Paroxetine (Paxil® , Paxil® CR, Pexeva® )
Paroxetine tablets, suspension (liquid), and extended-release (long-acting) tablets are used to treat depression, panic disorder (sudden, unexpected attacks of extreme fear and worry about these attacks), and social anxi...
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Bupropion (Wellbutrin, Wellbutrin, Wellbutrin XL, ...)
How do the newer antidepressants compare in treating depression?