A large meta‑analysis of nearly 10,000 patients revealed that escitalopram, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), was the most effective antidepressant at preventing relapse of depressive symptoms over a one‑year period. The study, published in The Lancet Psychiatry, compared the long‑term outcomes of more than a dozen commonly prescribed antidepressants.
Escitalopram outperformed other drugs, including agomelatine, duloxetine and fluoxetine (Prozac), in keeping patients symptom‑free. Patients on escitalopram were more likely to maintain improvement and were less likely to discontinue medication prematurely.
While the differences were modest, experts caution that the findings do not mandate a switch for everyone. Dr. Sameer Jauhar of Imperial College London noted, “It cannot tell us which antidepressant will work best for an individual patient.” He added that patients who are responding well to their current medication should not change treatment solely because of this study.
Prof. Eric Ruhé of Radboud University emphasized that medication choice should be personalized. “Our study can help inform the decisions that prescribers and patients make together: if you start an antidepressant, choose one that not only helps you to get well, but also keeps you well,” he said.
Depression affects about one in six people in the UK. Current guidelines recommend continuing antidepressants for at least six months after remission, followed by a gradual taper. The new analysis supports the idea that certain SSRIs may offer a slight advantage in sustaining remission, but longer studies are needed to confirm these observations.
Source: BBC World
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