Study shows antidepressants effective for the treatment of depression
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What is the effectiveness of antidepressants?
There has long been discussion about the effectiveness of drug treatment for acute depression in adults. Researchers now found that all commonly prescribed antidepressants were more effective than placebo. However, some of these drugs were significantly more effective than other antidepressants.
Researchers at the internationally respected University of Oxford found in their research that commonly prescribed antidepressants are very effective in the treatment of acute depression. The physicians published the results of their study in the English-language journal "The Lancet".
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Studies included nearly 120,000 subjects
The researchers wanted to address uncertainty about the effectiveness of drugs in the treatment of acute depression. After careful review of previous studies involving nearly 120,000 adult volunteers, including patients taking 21 commonly prescribed antidepressants, the researchers found that all the drugs studied were more effective than the so-called placebo effect. In a further analysis of more than 500 studies, however, the physicians were able to observe that there were differences in the effectiveness of the drugs.
Depression must be treated properly
Many people need better access to treatment for depression, explain the researchers. This could be done either with medication or psychotherapy. If depression is not treated at all or only inadequately, this leads to great problems - medical professionals and affected people should be aware of it, explains Dr. med. Andrea Cipriani from the University of Oxford Department of Psychiatry.
Which drugs were more effective?
Among the drugs that proved to be more effective were amitriptyline, mirtazapine and sertraline, while fluoxetine, better known as Prozac, was considered to be one of the least effective drugs, the experts explain. The findings were intended to support evidence-based practice and to inform patients, physicians, guideline developers and policymakers of the relative merits of various antidepressants, the researchers said.
300 million people suffer from depression
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), around 300 million people worldwide suffer from depression. The results now published refute the claims that antidepressants are ineffective in treating those affected. The meta-analysis was designed to end the controversy over antidepressants because it clearly shows that these drugs elevate mood and help most people with depression, the researchers emphasize.
Prescription of antidepressants is increasing
Digital statistics from the NHS last year showed that prescriptions for antidepressants in the United Kingdom increased from 59.5 million to nearly 63.6 million between October 2015 and September 2016. Other common treatments for depression include psychotherapeutic methods such as cognitive-behavioral therapy and counseling. It is likely that at least one million more people per year should have access to effective treatment for depression, either through medication or psychotherapy, says Professor John Geddes of the University of Oxford. The appropriate choice must then be made by the doctor together with the patient.
Patients and doctors should decide together
The decision to prescribe an antidepressant should always be a shared procedure between patients and physicians, tailored to the specific needs of the individual. By clarifying which antidepressants are most effective, this decision will be made easier for physicians and those affected in the future.
For which patients are the results relevant??
"Our study brings together the best available evidence to inform and guide physicians and patients in their treatment decisions. We found that the most commonly used antidepressants are more effective than placebo, with some being more effective than others. Our findings are relevant for adults who experience a first or second depressive episode, "says study author Dr. Andrea Cipriani in a press release together. (As)