New Antidepressant Approved

[Guest guest]

New Antidepressant Approved

Aug. 15, 2002 -- The FDA today approved a new form of the popular

antidepressant drug Celexa that promises to treat depression with fewer side

effects. The drug, to be sold as Lexapro, was created using a relatively new

approach that removed inactive ingredients in Celexa -- yielding a safer and

more potent form of the medication.

Celexa and Lexapro are both part of the new generation of prescription

antidepressant drugs known as SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake

inhibitors), which also includes Prozac, Zoloft, and Paxil. The medications

work by increasing the activity of a certain brain chemical involved in

depression called serotonin.

Nearly 19 million Americans suffer from some type of depression. Researchers

say one in four women and one in 10 men will be diagnosed with depression

within their lifetime.

SSRIs have rapidly become the first choice of many doctors for the treatment

of depression, but the drugs can take up to six weeks to provide relief and

come with some side effects. These side effects -- including nausea, anxiety,

problems sleeping, loss of sexual desire, and headaches or dizziness -- are

not life-threatening, but can be problematic for many SSRI users.

But because Lexapro contains a more concentrated and purified form of the

active ingredient in Celexa, it can be given at much lower doses, which means

it causes fewer side effects. Clinical trials of Lexapro in people with

moderate to severe depression found a dose of 10 mg per day of Lexapro was as

effective as a daily 40 mg dose of Celexa.

Farah, MD, medical director of behavioral services at High Point

Regional Health System in North Carolina, says intolerable side effects are

the main reason that only about 40% of those who seek treatment for

depression complete the recommended therapy.

" The real advance is that this drug seems to be devoid of virtually all side

effects, " says Farah, who is also a clinical professor at Wake Forest

University. " I think most people who have tried antidepressants in the past

and didn't like them because of the side effects will be very pleased with

this one. "

The most commonly reported side effect of Lexapro was nausea, and it occurred

in 15% of the patients who received the drug, compared with 7% among those

who took a placebo. Other side effects occurred at a rate similar to the

placebo group and included insomnia, ejaculation disorder, sleepwalking, and

fatigue.

" I think it's a really important step because we've been using these [sSRI]

drugs since Prozac came out in 1986, and this is the first real, elegant

refinement where you see such a nice cleanliness and such a nice

tolerability, " says Farah.

In addition, clinical trials suggest that many patients' depressive symptoms

may begin to improve within a week or two after they began taking Lexapro.

Studies on other SSRIs have had similar findings.

Farah says similar modifications have been attempted with other types of

SSRIs but this is the first version that has been so successful in treating

depression without producing unwanted side effects.

The manufacturer of Lexapro, Forest Laboratories, Inc., says it expects the

drug to be available in pharmacies by Sept. 5. Lexapro is expected to cost

about 8% less than Celexa, which currently costs about $60 for a month's

supply of the 20 mg tablets.

© 2002 WebMD Inc. All rights reserved.

[Guest guest]

-Thanks Allicia, I was on zoloft for a short period and the side

effects were awful. If I need treatment again I will discuss this med.

-- In @y..., Allicia21@a... wrote:

> New Antidepressant Approved

>

>

>

> Aug. 15, 2002 -- The FDA today approved a new form of the popular

> antidepressant drug Celexa that promises to treat depression with

fewer side

> effects. The drug, to be sold as Lexapro, was created using a

relatively new

> approach that removed inactive ingredients in Celexa -- yielding a

safer and

> more potent form of the medication.

>

>

>

> Celexa and Lexapro are both part of the new generation of

prescription

> antidepressant drugs known as SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake

> inhibitors), which also includes Prozac, Zoloft, and Paxil. The

medications

> work by increasing the activity of a certain brain chemical

involved in

> depression called serotonin.

>

>

>

> Nearly 19 million Americans suffer from some type of depression.

Researchers

> say one in four women and one in 10 men will be diagnosed with

depression

> within their lifetime.

>

>

>

> SSRIs have rapidly become the first choice of many doctors for the

treatment

> of depression, but the drugs can take up to six weeks to provide

relief and

> come with some side effects. These side effects -- including

nausea, anxiety,

> problems sleeping, loss of sexual desire, and headaches or

dizziness -- are

> not life-threatening, but can be problematic for many SSRI users.

>

>

>

> But because Lexapro contains a more concentrated and purified form

of the

> active ingredient in Celexa, it can be given at much lower doses,

which means

> it causes fewer side effects. Clinical trials of Lexapro in people

with

> moderate to severe depression found a dose of 10 mg per day of

Lexapro was as

> effective as a daily 40 mg dose of Celexa.

>

>

>

> Farah, MD, medical director of behavioral services at High

Point

> Regional Health System in North Carolina, says intolerable side

effects are

> the main reason that only about 40% of those who seek treatment for

> depression complete the recommended therapy.

>

>

>

> " The real advance is that this drug seems to be devoid of virtually

all side

> effects, " says Farah, who is also a clinical professor at Wake

Forest

> University. " I think most people who have tried antidepressants in

the past

> and didn't like them because of the side effects will be very

pleased with

> this one. "

>

>

>

> The most commonly reported side effect of Lexapro was nausea, and

it occurred

> in 15% of the patients who received the drug, compared with 7%

among those

> who took a placebo. Other side effects occurred at a rate similar

to the

> placebo group and included insomnia, ejaculation disorder,

sleepwalking, and

> fatigue.

>

>

>

> " I think it's a really important step because we've been using

these [sSRI]

> drugs since Prozac came out in 1986, and this is the first real,

elegant

> refinement where you see such a nice cleanliness and such a nice

> tolerability, " says Farah.

>

>

>

> In addition, clinical trials suggest that many patients' depressive

symptoms

> may begin to improve within a week or two after they began taking

Lexapro.

> Studies on other SSRIs have had similar findings.

>

>

>

> Farah says similar modifications have been attempted with other

types of

> SSRIs but this is the first version that has been so successful in

treating

> depression without producing unwanted side effects.

>

>

>

> The manufacturer of Lexapro, Forest Laboratories, Inc., says it

expects the

> drug to be available in pharmacies by Sept. 5. Lexapro is expected

to cost

> about 8% less than Celexa, which currently costs about $60 for a

month's

> supply of the 20 mg tablets.

>

>

>

> © 2002 WebMD Inc. All rights reserved.

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

-Thanks Allicia, I was on zoloft for a short period and the side

effects were awful. If I need treatment again I will discuss this med.

-- In @y..., Allicia21@a... wrote:

> New Antidepressant Approved

>

>

>

> Aug. 15, 2002 -- The FDA today approved a new form of the popular

> antidepressant drug Celexa that promises to treat depression with

fewer side

> effects. The drug, to be sold as Lexapro, was created using a

relatively new

> approach that removed inactive ingredients in Celexa -- yielding a

safer and

> more potent form of the medication.

>

>

>

> Celexa and Lexapro are both part of the new generation of

prescription

> antidepressant drugs known as SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake

> inhibitors), which also includes Prozac, Zoloft, and Paxil. The

medications

> work by increasing the activity of a certain brain chemical

involved in

> depression called serotonin.

>

>

>

> Nearly 19 million Americans suffer from some type of depression.

Researchers

> say one in four women and one in 10 men will be diagnosed with

depression

> within their lifetime.

>

>

>

> SSRIs have rapidly become the first choice of many doctors for the

treatment

> of depression, but the drugs can take up to six weeks to provide

relief and

> come with some side effects. These side effects -- including

nausea, anxiety,

> problems sleeping, loss of sexual desire, and headaches or

dizziness -- are

> not life-threatening, but can be problematic for many SSRI users.

>

>

>

> But because Lexapro contains a more concentrated and purified form

of the

> active ingredient in Celexa, it can be given at much lower doses,

which means

> it causes fewer side effects. Clinical trials of Lexapro in people

with

> moderate to severe depression found a dose of 10 mg per day of

Lexapro was as

> effective as a daily 40 mg dose of Celexa.

>

>

>

> Farah, MD, medical director of behavioral services at High

Point

> Regional Health System in North Carolina, says intolerable side

effects are

> the main reason that only about 40% of those who seek treatment for

> depression complete the recommended therapy.

>

>

>

> " The real advance is that this drug seems to be devoid of virtually

all side

> effects, " says Farah, who is also a clinical professor at Wake

Forest

> University. " I think most people who have tried antidepressants in

the past

> and didn't like them because of the side effects will be very

pleased with

> this one. "

>

>

>

> The most commonly reported side effect of Lexapro was nausea, and

it occurred

> in 15% of the patients who received the drug, compared with 7%

among those

> who took a placebo. Other side effects occurred at a rate similar

to the

> placebo group and included insomnia, ejaculation disorder,

sleepwalking, and

> fatigue.

>

>

>

> " I think it's a really important step because we've been using

these [sSRI]

> drugs since Prozac came out in 1986, and this is the first real,

elegant

> refinement where you see such a nice cleanliness and such a nice

> tolerability, " says Farah.

>

>

>

> In addition, clinical trials suggest that many patients' depressive

symptoms

> may begin to improve within a week or two after they began taking

Lexapro.

> Studies on other SSRIs have had similar findings.

>

>

>

> Farah says similar modifications have been attempted with other

types of

> SSRIs but this is the first version that has been so successful in

treating

> depression without producing unwanted side effects.

>

>

>

> The manufacturer of Lexapro, Forest Laboratories, Inc., says it

expects the

> drug to be available in pharmacies by Sept. 5. Lexapro is expected

to cost

> about 8% less than Celexa, which currently costs about $60 for a

month's

> supply of the 20 mg tablets.

>

>

>

> © 2002 WebMD Inc. All rights reserved.

>

>

>

>

>