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Paroxetine: current status in psychiatry.
1Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27705, USA. pae@catholic.ac.kr
Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics
|February 9, 2007
Summary
Paroxetine, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), effectively treats depression and anxiety disorders. The controlled-release formulation (paroxetine CR) enhances gastrointestinal tolerability, offering a valuable option for patients.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Psychiatry
- Clinical Therapeutics
Background:
- Paroxetine is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) with established antidepressant and anxiolytic properties.
- Two formulations exist: immediate-release (paroxetine) and controlled-release (paroxetine CR), with CR developed for improved gastrointestinal tolerability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the efficacy and tolerability data of both immediate-release and controlled-release paroxetine formulations.
- To emphasize paroxetine CR, introduced in 2002, and discuss recent safety profile modifications.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing efficacy and tolerability data for paroxetine and paroxetine CR.
- Analysis of approved indications and long-term effectiveness data.
- Examination of side-effect profiles and comparison with other SSRIs.
Main Results:
- Paroxetine is the most potent serotonin reuptake inhibitor among SSRIs, with broad indications for depression and anxiety disorders.
- Paroxetine CR is approved for major depression, social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and premenstrual dysphoric disorder.
- Long-term data support paroxetine's efficacy in preventing depression relapse and maintaining therapeutic response in OCD and panic disorder.
Conclusions:
- Paroxetine demonstrates comparable efficacy to other SSRIs for depression but is approved for more anxiety disorders.
- Paroxetine CR offers improved gastrointestinal tolerability.
- While generally similar to other SSRIs, paroxetine may be more sedating and constipating, with potentially higher risks of discontinuation syndrome and weight gain.
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