Antidepressant escitalopram more effective at preventing relapse, analysis finds

Many medical guidelines recommend SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) antidepressants, like escitalopram, sertraline and fluoxetine or Prozac, as the first drug of choice.

These drugs increase seratonin, which is linked to mood.

According to the new analysis, compared to Prozac (fluoxetine):

people on escitalopram were more likely to see their symptoms improve and stay that way, and less likely to stop taking their medication

agomelatine (an atypical antidepressant) and duloxetine (an SNRI or selective noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor) also performed well

One of the researchers, Prof Eric Ruhé at Radboud University in The Netherlands, said the choice of medication can vary for each individual.