Comparative efficacy and safety of nortriptyline and fluoxetine in the treatment of major depression: a clinical study.

The safety and efficacy of nortriptyline and fluoxetine were compared in a double-blind, randomized, multicenter 5-week trial involving 205 outpatients with acute major depression of moderate severity. Seventy-two nortriptyline and 84 fluoxetine patients completed at least 2 weeks of medication and were included in the efficacy analysis; all patients were evaluated for side effects. Average total scores on the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D) for both treatment groups declined from 22-23 at baseline to 11.5 at the conclusion of the 5-week period. At Week, 5, 71% of nortriptyline patients and 65% of fluoxetine patients were much or very much improved. Fluoxetine was associated more frequently with nausea (p less than .05), while nortriptyline was associated more frequently with dry mouth (p less than .05). These results are discussed in the context of selecting between nortriptyline and fluoxetine for a particular depressed patient.