Although SSRIs are with less side effects,but are they really as effective as the TCAs?
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Efficacy and tolerability of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors compared with tricyclic antidepressants in depression treated in primary care: systematic review and meta-analysis
Although SSRIs are with less side effects,but are they really as effective as the TCAs?
Dear Sir,
MacGillivray etal(BMJ 2003)did show in their review article
similar effectiveness for the SSRIs and TCAs in primary care depressive
illness, also they did show that SSRIs are better tolerated.
But from clinical experience, although SSRIs are better tolerated than
TCAs, they tend to be of similar effectiveness for mild and moderate
depressive illness. For severe depressive illness with or without psychotic
features, TCAs tend to be better.
With my best regards,
A.K.Al-Sheikhli,MB;ChB,MRCPsych DPM.
Competing interests:
None declared
Competing interests:
No competing interests
12 May 2003
AK Al-Sheikhli
Loc.Consultant Psychiatrist
Medical Centre,2Manor Court Avenue,Nuneaton CV11 5HX,England.
Rapid Response:
Although SSRIs are with less side effects,but are they really as effective as the TCAs?
Dear Sir,
MacGillivray etal(BMJ 2003)did show in their review article
similar effectiveness for the SSRIs and TCAs in primary care depressive
illness, also they did show that SSRIs are better tolerated.
But from clinical experience, although SSRIs are better tolerated than
TCAs, they tend to be of similar effectiveness for mild and moderate
depressive illness. For severe depressive illness with or without psychotic
features, TCAs tend to be better.
With my best regards,
A.K.Al-Sheikhli,MB;ChB,MRCPsych DPM.
Competing interests:
None declared
Competing interests: No competing interests