A comparative study of fluoxetine and amitriptyline in the treatment of postatroke depression.

Objective:To compare the curative effects and safety of fluoxetine and amitiriptyline in the treatment of poststroke depression(PSD).Methods:75 patients with PSD were randomly assigned to research group(n=37,took fluoxetine) and control group(n=38,took amitriptyline),for 6 week double-blind controlled study;Clinical curative effects were assessed with the Hamitlon Depression Scale(HAMD) and Clinical Global Impression(CGI),and adverse reactions with the Treatment Emergent Symptom Scale before treatment and at the end of the 2nd,4th,6th week of treatment.Results: At the end of the 2nd week scores of HAMD of both the two groups significantly decreased and there were significant differences between the two groups(P0.05).At the end of the 6th week,there was no significant difference between two groups(P0.05).Adverse reaction of fluoxetine was milder and better.Conclusions: Fluoxetine has milder adverse reaction,faster effect,and higher safety.