Antidepressant News and Research

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Antidepressants are medicines that treat depression. Your doctor can prescribe them for you. They can improve your mood, sleep, appetite and concentration. It may take several weeks for them to help. There are several types of antidepressants. You and your doctor may have to try several before finding what works best for you.

New advice on prescribing anti-depressants

New Zealands's Medsafe has sent a letter to all prescribers informing them about new advice relating to the known risks and benefits associated with prescribing medications to treat depression in young people and in adults.

22 Oct 2004

Adults who were abused or neglected as children tend to visit doctors more often

"Many patients visit doctors with symptoms that cannot be explained by underlying physical disease," says researcher Francis Creed, M.D., of the University of Manchester. "Common examples are headache, abdominal and chest pains and constant tiredness."

21 Oct 2004

Awareness helps primary doctors prevent patients' suicide

Although few of their patients commit suicide in a year, primary care physicians should use office visits to note possible risk factors for suicidal behavior, bolstered by candid discussions if needed, according to a review of recent research.

18 Oct 2004

Cymbalta significantly reduced pain in more than half of women treated for fibromyalgia, with and without major depression

The antidepressant Cymbalta (duloxetine HCl), a dual-reuptake inhibitor of serotonin and norepinephrine, 60 mg once or twice daily, significantly reduced pain in more than half of women treated for fibromyalgia, with and without major depression, according to 12-week data presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Rheumatology.

18 Oct 2004

FDA issues warning on adolescent use of antidepressants

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a Public Health Advisory announcing a multi-pronged strategy to warn the public about the increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior ("suicidality") in children and adolescents being treated with antidepressant medications.

18 Oct 2004

Paroxetine is an effective treatment for diminishing hot flashes in men who are receiving hormone therapy for prostate cancer

A new antidepressant medication is an effective treatment for diminishing hot flashes in men who are receiving hormone therapy for prostate cancer, Mayo Clinic researchers report in the October issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings.

12 Oct 2004

Using antidepressant medication to treat people with depression and alcohol or drug abuse is beneficial

A meta-analysis of 14 studies involving patients with co-occurring depression and alcohol or drug abuse suggests that using antidepressant medication to treat people with these disorders is beneficial

6 Oct 2004

Researchers investigate whether hormone therapy and two alternative herbal products can lessen memory in menopausal women

Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago are investigating whether hormone therapy and two alternative herbal products can lessen memory and other cognitive problems experienced by menopausal women.

4 Oct 2004

New warnings on antidepressants for children and adolescents highlight the need for appropriate treatments for depression

“Taking an antidepressant comes with risks. When deciding whether an antidepressant is right for a son or daughter, parents should discuss with the physician the possible alternatives, including psychotherapy. Research by the National Institute of Mental Health shows that combining talk therapy and an antidepressant is the most effective treatment for teens battling depression,”

29 Sep 2004

Promising early results in a study of a medication to treat kleptomania

Kleptomania, the guilt-ridden, impulsive stealing of inexpensive and unneeded items, often goes untreated as many who suffer from the disorder hesitate to seek help out of fear of being turned in for their illegal activities.

23 Sep 2004

FDA proposal on antidepressants is premature and may be counterproductive

The recent FDA proposal to force antidepressants to carry warnings about increased suicide risk is the subject of a pair of articles by leading experts in The Annals of Pharmacotherapy.

23 Sep 2004

Wyeth supports FDA recommendation to strengthen antidepressant labeling

Statement by Wyeth Pharmaceuticals supporting the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Joint Advisory Committee’s recommendation to strengthen the product labels across the antidepressant category regarding use in the pediatric population.

16 Sep 2004

Prozac, Paxil, Wellbutrin, Zoloft, Celexa, Effexor, Luvox and Remeron should have "Black Box" warnings

A panel of experts has voted 15 to 8 in favour of the Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) adding black box warnings to certain medications used to treat depression in children and teenagers.

14 Sep 2004

Depressed patients may need treatment for both physical and emotional symptoms

Physical symptoms (such as headache, back pain, stomach problems, joint or muscle pains, and dizziness) are nearly as common in depression as emotional symptoms and are the predominant complaint depressed patients present with in the primary care setting.

8 Sep 2004

Cymbalta approved for diabetic peripheral neuropathy pain

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Eli Lilly's Cymbalta, a balanced and potent serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor. Cymbalta is the first and only FDA-approved treatment for pain caused by diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

8 Sep 2004

Cymbalta, treatment for major depression hits the market

Cymbalta, a new treatment for major depression, is now available by prescription in pharmacies across the United States, Eli Lilly and Company has announced.

26 Aug 2004

Prozac helps treat adolescents with depression

The TADS researchers said that major depressive disorder is common, with one in 20 teens affected at varying levels of severity. Like other forms of depression, major depressive disorder has been associated with increased risk of suicidal behavior and with completed suicide.

26 Aug 2004

Nicotine replacement therapy shown to help teenagers and women

In the first study, researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine have found that the nicotine patch seems to work as well, at least initially, for teens as it does for adults. In addition, the patch, the top delivery form of NRT (followed by gum, an inhaler and a nasal spray) worked equally well with or without supplementation by an anti-depressant given to the teens.

21 Aug 2004

Current information on the use of antidepressants in pediatric patients

The Food and Drug Administration has issued an update to provide health care providers and patients with the most current information on the use of antidepressants in pediatric patients.

21 Aug 2004

"Treatment for Adolescents with Depression Study" - a landmark study

The "Treatment for Adolescents with Depression Study" (TADS), reported in this week's Journal of the American Medical Association, is the first multi- center, randomized clinical effectiveness trial to review a combination of treatments for the types of adolescent depression likely to be treated in routine community-based practice settings.

18 Aug 2004