The selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor paroxetine has been extensi
vely studied and is now an established therapy for the treatment of de
pressive disorders. Paroxetine has demonstrated efficacy in major depr
ession in both young and elderly patients, with an improved tolerabili
ty profile over conventional antidepressants. Paroxetine is effective
across a continuum of anxiety and depressive disorders, including seve
re depression, depression with anxiety, comorbid depression and obsess
ive-compulsive disorder. The first agent of its class licensed for use
in panic disorder, paroxetine has been shown to be effective in reduc
ing the number of panic attacks and preventing relapse. A worldwide cl
inical database has established that paroxetine has a benign adverse e
vent profile. Paroxetine therefore offers an effective and well tolera
ted treatment for a broad spectrum of psychiatric disorders.