Safety and antidepressant efficacy of selective serotonin re‐uptake inhibitors

Abstract

Abstract This review deals with the safety and antidepressant efficacy of selective serotonin re‐uptake inhibitors (SSRIs). At present, five SSRIs are used therapeutically in European countries (fluvoxamine, fluoxetine, paroxetine, sertraline and citalopram). The antidepressant efficacy of these drugs has been tested both versus placebo and versus reference antidepressants (amitriptyline, imipramine) revealing comparable antidepressant efficacy to the active compounds and a significant superiority compared with placebo. Furthermore, the available studies provide initial evidence that SSRIs have good antidepressant efficacy in severe depression and suggest that they might lead to a faster decline of suicidal tendencies within major depression. Since they have a favourable side‐effects profile in sum, compared with tri‐ and tetracyclic antidepressants, they can be recommended from the aspect of a ‘side‐effects‐derived indication’.