Antidepressants Little Help for Mild, Moderate Depression

[Guest guest]

http://www.emaxhealth.com/1275/25/35030/antidepressants-little-help-mild-moderate-depression.html

Antidepressants Little Help for Mild, Moderate

Depression

Submitted by Deborah on Jan 5th, 2010

Millions

of Americans are taking antidepressants for mild to moderate depression

and reaping little to no benefit, according to the results of a new

study. Antidepressants do, however, seem to offer substantial benefit

for people who have very severe depression.

The results of this new study, which was conducted by researchers

at

the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, are important for several

reasons, not least of which is the fact that many people are likely

taking drugs that may cause

them

harm and offer no benefits.

A recent study conducted in postmenopausal women, for example, found

that those who take antidepressants may be at increased risk for stroke

and death. The findings came from the Women’s Health Initiative

study

and showed that postmenopausal

women

taking

antidepressants had a 45 percent increased risk of stroke and a 32

percent higher risk of death compared with women who were not taking

antidepressants.

The Food and Drug Administration also requires antidepressant

packaging to carry a black box warning regarding the risk of suicide

associated with use of the drugs. The FDA required manufacturers to

include a black box warning on all antidepressants at the end of 2004.

The latest update to the warning came in July 2009, when the FDA

proposed that all antidepressant makers include warnings about

increased risks of suicidal thinking and behavior in young

adults

ages 18 to 24 during initial treatment.

Use of antidepressants has skyrocketed in recent years. A study

published in August 2009 in the Archives of General Psychiatry

reported that use of antidepressants in the United States doubled

between 1996 and 2005: while 6 percent of people (13 million) were

prescribed antidepressants in 1996, more than 10 percent, or 27

million, got prescriptions in 2005.

This new University of Pennsylvania study was a meta-analysis, in

which researchers analyzed data from six large-scale,

placebo-controlled randomized trials. The studies included a total of

718 adult outpatients. The researchers found that the efficacy of

antidepressants for treatment of depression varied considerably.

Generally, the drug effects “were nonexistent to negligible” among

people who had mild, moderate, and even severe symptoms, but that they

were significant for patients with very severe symptoms.

What surprised the investigators was the “high level of

depression

symptom severity that appears to be required for clinically meaningful

drug/placebo differences to emerge.” They point out that healthcare

professionals, consumers, and policy makers may not know that the

effectiveness of antidepressants has been established mainly based on

studies that have included only people who have more severe depression.

Therefore, millions of Americans who have mild to moderate depression

appear to be taking antidepressants for naught. The authors conclude

that “there is little evidence to suggest that they [antidepressants]

produce specific pharmacological benefit for the majority of patients

with less severe acute depressions.”

SOURCES:

Food and Drug Administration

Fournier JC et al. Journal of the American Medical Association 2010;

303(1):

47-53

Olfson M, Marcus SC. Archives of General Psychiatry 2009

Aug; 66(8): 848-56

Smoller JW et al. Archives of Internal Medicine 2009 Dec 14;

169(22): 2128-39

[Guest guest]

http://www.emaxhealth.com/1275/25/35030/antidepressants-little-help-mild-moderate-depression.html

Antidepressants Little Help for Mild, Moderate

Depression

Submitted by Deborah on Jan 5th, 2010

Millions

of Americans are taking antidepressants for mild to moderate depression

and reaping little to no benefit, according to the results of a new

study. Antidepressants do, however, seem to offer substantial benefit

for people who have very severe depression.

The results of this new study, which was conducted by researchers

at

the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, are important for several

reasons, not least of which is the fact that many people are likely

taking drugs that may cause

them

harm and offer no benefits.

A recent study conducted in postmenopausal women, for example, found

that those who take antidepressants may be at increased risk for stroke

and death. The findings came from the Women’s Health Initiative

study

and showed that postmenopausal

women

taking

antidepressants had a 45 percent increased risk of stroke and a 32

percent higher risk of death compared with women who were not taking

antidepressants.

The Food and Drug Administration also requires antidepressant

packaging to carry a black box warning regarding the risk of suicide

associated with use of the drugs. The FDA required manufacturers to

include a black box warning on all antidepressants at the end of 2004.

The latest update to the warning came in July 2009, when the FDA

proposed that all antidepressant makers include warnings about

increased risks of suicidal thinking and behavior in young

adults

ages 18 to 24 during initial treatment.

Use of antidepressants has skyrocketed in recent years. A study

published in August 2009 in the Archives of General Psychiatry

reported that use of antidepressants in the United States doubled

between 1996 and 2005: while 6 percent of people (13 million) were

prescribed antidepressants in 1996, more than 10 percent, or 27

million, got prescriptions in 2005.

This new University of Pennsylvania study was a meta-analysis, in

which researchers analyzed data from six large-scale,

placebo-controlled randomized trials. The studies included a total of

718 adult outpatients. The researchers found that the efficacy of

antidepressants for treatment of depression varied considerably.

Generally, the drug effects “were nonexistent to negligible” among

people who had mild, moderate, and even severe symptoms, but that they

were significant for patients with very severe symptoms.

What surprised the investigators was the “high level of

depression

symptom severity that appears to be required for clinically meaningful

drug/placebo differences to emerge.” They point out that healthcare

professionals, consumers, and policy makers may not know that the

effectiveness of antidepressants has been established mainly based on

studies that have included only people who have more severe depression.

Therefore, millions of Americans who have mild to moderate depression

appear to be taking antidepressants for naught. The authors conclude

that “there is little evidence to suggest that they [antidepressants]

produce specific pharmacological benefit for the majority of patients

with less severe acute depressions.”

SOURCES:

Food and Drug Administration

Fournier JC et al. Journal of the American Medical Association 2010;

303(1):

47-53

Olfson M, Marcus SC. Archives of General Psychiatry 2009

Aug; 66(8): 848-56

Smoller JW et al. Archives of Internal Medicine 2009 Dec 14;

169(22): 2128-39

[Guest guest]

http://www.emaxhealth.com/1275/25/35030/antidepressants-little-help-mild-moderate-depression.html

Antidepressants Little Help for Mild, Moderate

Depression

Submitted by Deborah on Jan 5th, 2010

Millions

of Americans are taking antidepressants for mild to moderate depression

and reaping little to no benefit, according to the results of a new

study. Antidepressants do, however, seem to offer substantial benefit

for people who have very severe depression.

The results of this new study, which was conducted by researchers

at

the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, are important for several

reasons, not least of which is the fact that many people are likely

taking drugs that may cause

them

harm and offer no benefits.

A recent study conducted in postmenopausal women, for example, found

that those who take antidepressants may be at increased risk for stroke

and death. The findings came from the Women’s Health Initiative

study

and showed that postmenopausal

women

taking

antidepressants had a 45 percent increased risk of stroke and a 32

percent higher risk of death compared with women who were not taking

antidepressants.

The Food and Drug Administration also requires antidepressant

packaging to carry a black box warning regarding the risk of suicide

associated with use of the drugs. The FDA required manufacturers to

include a black box warning on all antidepressants at the end of 2004.

The latest update to the warning came in July 2009, when the FDA

proposed that all antidepressant makers include warnings about

increased risks of suicidal thinking and behavior in young

adults

ages 18 to 24 during initial treatment.

Use of antidepressants has skyrocketed in recent years. A study

published in August 2009 in the Archives of General Psychiatry

reported that use of antidepressants in the United States doubled

between 1996 and 2005: while 6 percent of people (13 million) were

prescribed antidepressants in 1996, more than 10 percent, or 27

million, got prescriptions in 2005.

This new University of Pennsylvania study was a meta-analysis, in

which researchers analyzed data from six large-scale,

placebo-controlled randomized trials. The studies included a total of

718 adult outpatients. The researchers found that the efficacy of

antidepressants for treatment of depression varied considerably.

Generally, the drug effects “were nonexistent to negligible” among

people who had mild, moderate, and even severe symptoms, but that they

were significant for patients with very severe symptoms.

What surprised the investigators was the “high level of

depression

symptom severity that appears to be required for clinically meaningful

drug/placebo differences to emerge.” They point out that healthcare

professionals, consumers, and policy makers may not know that the

effectiveness of antidepressants has been established mainly based on

studies that have included only people who have more severe depression.

Therefore, millions of Americans who have mild to moderate depression

appear to be taking antidepressants for naught. The authors conclude

that “there is little evidence to suggest that they [antidepressants]

produce specific pharmacological benefit for the majority of patients

with less severe acute depressions.”

SOURCES:

Food and Drug Administration

Fournier JC et al. Journal of the American Medical Association 2010;

303(1):

47-53

Olfson M, Marcus SC. Archives of General Psychiatry 2009

Aug; 66(8): 848-56

Smoller JW et al. Archives of Internal Medicine 2009 Dec 14;

169(22): 2128-39

[Guest guest]

http://www.emaxhealth.com/1275/25/35030/antidepressants-little-help-mild-moderate-depression.html

Antidepressants Little Help for Mild, Moderate

Depression

Submitted by Deborah on Jan 5th, 2010

Millions

of Americans are taking antidepressants for mild to moderate depression

and reaping little to no benefit, according to the results of a new

study. Antidepressants do, however, seem to offer substantial benefit

for people who have very severe depression.

The results of this new study, which was conducted by researchers

at

the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, are important for several

reasons, not least of which is the fact that many people are likely

taking drugs that may cause

them

harm and offer no benefits.

A recent study conducted in postmenopausal women, for example, found

that those who take antidepressants may be at increased risk for stroke

and death. The findings came from the Women’s Health Initiative

study

and showed that postmenopausal

women

taking

antidepressants had a 45 percent increased risk of stroke and a 32

percent higher risk of death compared with women who were not taking

antidepressants.

The Food and Drug Administration also requires antidepressant

packaging to carry a black box warning regarding the risk of suicide

associated with use of the drugs. The FDA required manufacturers to

include a black box warning on all antidepressants at the end of 2004.

The latest update to the warning came in July 2009, when the FDA

proposed that all antidepressant makers include warnings about

increased risks of suicidal thinking and behavior in young

adults

ages 18 to 24 during initial treatment.

Use of antidepressants has skyrocketed in recent years. A study

published in August 2009 in the Archives of General Psychiatry

reported that use of antidepressants in the United States doubled

between 1996 and 2005: while 6 percent of people (13 million) were

prescribed antidepressants in 1996, more than 10 percent, or 27

million, got prescriptions in 2005.

This new University of Pennsylvania study was a meta-analysis, in

which researchers analyzed data from six large-scale,

placebo-controlled randomized trials. The studies included a total of

718 adult outpatients. The researchers found that the efficacy of

antidepressants for treatment of depression varied considerably.

Generally, the drug effects “were nonexistent to negligible” among

people who had mild, moderate, and even severe symptoms, but that they

were significant for patients with very severe symptoms.

What surprised the investigators was the “high level of

depression

symptom severity that appears to be required for clinically meaningful

drug/placebo differences to emerge.” They point out that healthcare

professionals, consumers, and policy makers may not know that the

effectiveness of antidepressants has been established mainly based on

studies that have included only people who have more severe depression.

Therefore, millions of Americans who have mild to moderate depression

appear to be taking antidepressants for naught. The authors conclude

that “there is little evidence to suggest that they [antidepressants]

produce specific pharmacological benefit for the majority of patients

with less severe acute depressions.”

SOURCES:

Food and Drug Administration

Fournier JC et al. Journal of the American Medical Association 2010;

303(1):

47-53

Olfson M, Marcus SC. Archives of General Psychiatry 2009

Aug; 66(8): 848-56

Smoller JW et al. Archives of Internal Medicine 2009 Dec 14;

169(22): 2128-39