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>From: "Gerald Henkel-Johnson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>To: [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>Subject: Re: Drugs, Therapy, Placebo
>Date: Mon, Mar 22, 1999, 12:31 PM
>
> I have always been under the impression that the SSRI's are not necessarily
> better at treatment, but simply have fewer side effects, and that alone is
> quite worthy.
>
> Jerry Henkel-Johnson
There was a similar story on the Reuters web site last weekend, which I
assume is based on the same report mentioned in the NY Times article.
Interestingly, the Reuters story stated that the study authors concluded
that SSRIs do _not_ have fewer side effects (which is contrary to what I
thought I knew, as well). A couple of quotes from their article:
"studies of the drugs found that people taking the newer selective serotonin
reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) were just as likely as those on older drugs to
drop out of clinical trials because of side effects."
"Patients on SSRIs are more likely to complain of diarrhea, nausea, insomnia
and headache. The tricyclic antidepressants are more likely to cause dry
mouth, constipation, dizziness, blurred vision, tremors and adverse
cardiovascular effects. But the AHCPR [Agency for Health Care Policy and
Research] investigators found "little data" associating the tricyclics with
sexual dysfunction."
Here's the link for the Reuters story:
http://www.reutershealth.com/cgi-bin/ssi/framethis?catalog=eline&file=199903
1908.html
John
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John Serafin
Professor of Psychology
Saint Vincent College
300 Fraser Purchase Rd.
Latrobe, PA 15650
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
[He] isn't a genius, he is a professor--a being whose duty is to know
everything, and have his own opinion about everything.
-William James, speaking about Wilhelm Wundt
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