The latest research confirms that antidepressants are effective, which could settle one of the biggest debates on this topic. The Lancet magazine writes about it.
Such conclusions are prompted by a meta-analysis of 522 studies on 21 antidepressants, which included 116 patients. They also included data that had not been previously published by pharmaceutical companies, which additionally makes the analysis more reliable.
The main conclusion is that antidepressants are more effective than placebo – and therefore work, although their effectiveness varies. They were used for at least eight weeks, patients were of different age and mental state.
The lead author of the study, Dr. Andrea Cipriani of the University of Oxford, says that antidepressants have been shown to be effective in moderate and severe depression. In his opinion, this is good news for both patients and doctors.
“This does not mean that antidepressants should be used in the first line of treatment,” Dr. Cipriani said in a statement for BBC News. Other options, such as psychotherapy, should also be considered. Medication is usually needed when depression is acute and requires urgent intervention. In such a situation, the most important thing is to choose an effective preparation for the patient.
– Antidepressants had a bad press, but we know from the latest research that they help to control depression – emphasizes prof. Glyn Lewis of University College London.
The studies included drugs such as agomelatine, amitriptyline, mirtazapine, paroxetine, and fluoxetine, reboxetine, and trazodone.