Multicenter double blind study of paroxetine and amitriptyline in elderly depressed inpatients

• Published in: Psychopharmacologia 1995-06, Vol.119 (3), p.277-281
• Main Authors: GERETSEGGER, C, STUPPAECK, C. H, MAIR, M, PLATZ, T, FARTACEK, R, HEIM, M
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Aging - drug effects; Amitriptyline - pharmacology; Biological and medical sciences; Depression - drug therapy; Double-Blind Method; Female; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Neuropharmacology; Paroxetine - adverse effects; Paroxetine - pharmacology; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Psychoanaleptics: cns stimulant, antidepressant agent, nootropic agent, mood stabilizer..., (alzheimer disease); Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopharmacology; Time Factors
• ISSN: 0033-3158; 1432-2072
• DOI: 10.1007/BF02246291

Paroxetine is a phenylpiperidine compound which is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). Ninety-one hospitalised patients with a major depression (DSM-III) aged 65 and over from six Austrian and one German center were entered into the study, which compared the efficacy and tolerability of paroxetine versus amitriptyline. After 6 weeks both groups showed similarly good therapeutic results. In the paroxetine group, 64.3% of the patients had a 50% or more reduction of the HAMD total score compared to 58.1% in the amitriptyline group. Side effects were distributed similarly in both groups. Patients in the paroxetine group showed a higher incidence of anxiety and agitation; anticholinergic side effects were registered more often in the amitriptyline group.