Mianserin and imipramine in the treatment of elderly depressed patients.

Fifty elderly depressed patients were randomly assigned to double-blind treatment, using a flexible dose schedule, with either mianserin 20-60 mg or imipramine 75-150 mg. Medication was continued for four weeks. Eleven patients withdrew from the study. At the end of treatment there were no significant differences between mianserin and imipramine in antidepressant efficacy. A significantly greater number of side-effects occurred in the imipramine group (dry mouth, days 7 and 14; faintness, dizziness, weakness, day 21). When treating elderly depressed patients mianserin may be preferred to imipramine because of a lower incidence of induced side-effects.