August 15, 2002 9:33 PM

Another arrow in the quiver

I've struggled with depression on and off throughout my adult life. It's not something I would wish on anyone, but I am thankful that there are more and more treatments available for those of who have to fight this battle. Now comes news that there is a new drug available. Lexapro gives doctors another weapon with which to fight depression, and it has the added benefit of having a lower rate of side effects. Anyone who has ever been on anti-depressants for any length of time has probably has to deal with the sexual side-effects. Without going into the gory details, suffice it to say that most medications do a number on your sex drive. That often makes it a choice between remaining normally sexually active or dealing with your depression. Hopefully that is a choice that fewer people will now have to deal with.

"These are modest benefits, but they're incremental advances over the other medicines within this class that are available," said Dr. Philip Ninan of Emory University Medical Center.

The side effects associated with antidepressant drugs include stomach upsets, headaches, and sexual complications. They show up in about 10 percent of the people who take the drugs.

With Lexapro, said researchers, the percentage of people who have those side effects is about 5 percent, or half the number associated with the other five drugs.

"It seems to have less side effects than Celexa at a comparable dose," Ninan said, who added it may also give relief quicker than similar drugs.

He described Lexapro as "another option" that doctors can prescribe as an alternative for patients who cannot take the other five antidepressants without suffering side effects.

Now, the estimated 18.8 million Americans who suffer from depression will have another choice with which to fight back, and that IS good news.

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This page contains a single entry by Jack Cluth published on August 15, 2002 9:33 PM.

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