Efficacy and tolerability of venlafaxine
in the treatment of primary dysthymia
by
Ravindran AV, Charbonneau Y, Zaharia MD,
al-Zaid K, Wiens A, Anisman H
Department of Psychiatry,
University of Ottawa, Ont.
J Psychiatry Neurosci 1998 Nov; 23(5):288-92

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Currently, there is no documentation of the efficacy of venlafaxine (a serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor) in the treatment of dysthymia. This open-label pilot investigation examined the efficacy and tolerability of venlafaxine in patients with primary dysthymia without concomitant major depression. METHODS: Fifteen patients were treated with venlafaxine for 12 weeks, with a dose range of 75 mg to 225 mg daily (taken orally), and symptom changes were measured using standard instruments including the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D). RESULTS: Significant changes from pretreatment to posttreatment were observed (p < 0.001). Using the standard criteria of a 50% reduction in HAM-D scores, 73.3% of patients were rated as responders. About two-thirds of the patients reported adverse events, which were mostly mild and brief in duration. CONCLUSION: Venlafaxine may be useful in the treatment of primary dysthymia but placebo-controlled studies are required for confirmation.

SSRIs
NARIs
SNRIs
Tramadol
Serotonin
Dysthymia
Noradrenaline
Retarded depression
Venlafaxine compared
Venlafaxine v fluoxetine
Venlafaxine pharmacology
Venlafaxine plus bupropion
Venlafaxine and depression
Dysthymia, hyperthymia, cyclothymia
February 2008: FDA licenses antidepressant desvenlafaxine (Pristiq)

Refs
and further reading

HOME
HedWeb
Nootropics
cocaine.wiki
Future Opioids
BLTC Research
MDMA/Ecstasy
Superhapiness?
Utopian Surgery?
The Abolitionist Project
The Hedonistic Imperative
The Reproductive Revolution
Critique of Huxley's Brave New World

The Good Drug Guide
The Responsible Parent's Guide
To Healthy Mood Boosters For All The Family