Combining two antidepressants is not effective, scientists say
Many patients who buy Paxil have found relief from symptoms of depression.
Many patients who buy Paxil have found relief from symptoms of depression. However, researchers from UT Southwestern Medical Center warn that combining two medications for mental disorders does not speed recovery from the condition.
Lead author Madhukah H. Trivedi and his colleagues published their study in the American Journal of Psychiatry. They advised clinicians not to prescribe combinations of antidepressant medications for individuals who struggle with major depressive disorder, an illness that affects approximately 19 million Americans each year.
"The clinical implications are very clear - the extra cost and burden of two medications is not worthwhile as a first treatment step," Trivedia explained.
He and his team studied 665 individuals between the ages of 18 and 75 who suffered from depression, and divided them into three groups. One group took only one treatment, while the other two received different combinations of antidepressants.
After 12 weeks of treatment, the researchers found that remission and response rates were similar across all three groups.
As a result, they concluded that patients should stick to one type of medication in order to reduce costs.
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