title: Multicenter double blind study of paroxetine and amitriptyline in elderly depressed inpatients.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Salzburg State Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Austria.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Geretsegger
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Stuppaeck
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mair
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Platz
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fartacek
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heim
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000187:drug effects*; D000639:Amitriptyline / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017374:Paroxetine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000639:Amitriptyline; D017374:Paroxetine