United States Experience and Perspectives with Trazodone

In the United States, trazodone has shown efficacy comparable with tricyclic antidepressants. Trazodone's side-effect profile, however, is vastly superior to the older drugs. In cases of overdose, trazodone alone has not caused a single death. For depressed patients, starting with 150 mg/day of trazodone, preferably at night, produces best results. Preliminary data suggest good safety and efficacy for patients with chronic depression when used up to 5 1/2 years. New uses for trazodone include treatment of insomnia, chronic pain, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), bulimia nervosa, and psychogeriatrics.