Drug treatment in depression. Antidepressant or tranquilizer?

With the goal to compare the clinical efficacy of the tricyclic compound protriptyline hydrochloride, the antianxiety agent meprobamate, the combination of both drugs, and placebo, a controlled double-blind study was conducted with depressed neurotic outpatients. The total study population was 157 patients. The results showed that over the four-week study period patients improved significantly more while receiving the three drugs than while receiving placebo. Initial level of anxiety effected the patient's response to medication. Patients with initially high anxiety responded best to the combination of protriptyline and meprobamate, followed by meprobamate alone, while those with initially low anxiety responded best to protriptyline alone. Initial anxiety level also influenced the reporting of side reactions.

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