Possible trazodone potentiation of fluoxetine: a case series.
BACKGROUND
Fluoxetine is an effective serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressant that can fail to alleviate either insomnia or major depression in a substantial minority of depressed patients. Trazodone has been reported to be both an effective nonbenzodiazepine hypnotic for antidepressant-associated insomnia and a possible serotonergic antidepressant adjunct. We present a case series of patients with variable responses when trazodone was added to fluoxetine.


METHODS
Eight consecutive depressed (DSM-III-R) patients taking fluoxetine were given trazodone either for sleep or as a possible antidepressant potentiator.


RESULTS
Three (37.5%) of the eight patients (confidence interval = 4.0%-71.0%) had improvements in both sleep and depression. The remaining five patients either were unaffected by the addition of trazodone to fluoxetine or had intolerable adverse drug reactions.


CONCLUSIONS
Trazodone may be an effective hypnotic and antidepressant potentiator when combined with fluoxetine for some patients, but its use may be limited by adverse effects.
Nierenberg
A A
AA
Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA 02178.
Cole
J O
JO
Glass
L
L
D000328:Adult; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D004357:Drug Synergism; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005473:Fluoxetine / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D014196:Trazodone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use
D005473:Fluoxetine; D014196:Trazodone