LONG-TERM TREATMENT OF GEROPSYCHIATRIC DEPRESSED-PATIENTS WITH VENLAFAXINE

Twenty-eight psychiatric patients older than 65 years with major depre ssion with high probability of recurrence were enrolled in a 24-month open label clinical trial aimed at evaluating the long-term efficacy a nd safety of venlafaxine. All patients completed the acute phase of th e study; 21 were responders and entered the follow-up period. During t he continuation phase no relapse was observed. During the maintenance period, 20% of the patients had a single new recurrence. No significan t side effects were observed. The results demonstrate that venlafaxine is both effective and safe in the long-term treatment of major depres sion in geropsychiatric patients. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.