People with major depressive disorder (MDD) often experience anxiety symptoms as well. Vortioxetine is a medication that effectively treats anxiety symptoms in patients with MDD. However, it hadn't been fully studied at all the approved dosage levels.
Clinical Study
To address this, researchers conducted several clinical trials to evaluate how well vortioxetine works and how well patients tolerate it. They included data from four different trials where patients with MDD and high levels of anxiety symptoms were given vortioxetine at doses ranging from 5 to 20 mg per day. The researchers also analyzed data from another study that compared vortioxetine (10-20 mg/day) with a medication called agomelatine (25-50 mg/day) in patients who didn't respond well to previous treatments.
Results
Vortioxetine effectively reduced symptoms of depression, anxiety, and overall disability. The higher the dose of vortioxetine, the greater the improvement in these symptoms. Specifically, at a dose of 20 mg per day, vortioxetine showed significant benefits compared to a placebo (a dummy pill with no active ingredient) starting from the fourth week of treatment.
Vortioxetine Vs. Agomelatine
In the study comparing vortioxetine with agomelatine, vortioxetine (10-20 mg/day) was found to be superior to agomelatine in improving symptoms of depression and anxiety, as well as reducing overall disability. These positive effects were seen starting from the fourth week of treatment.
Adverse Effects
The patients tolerated vortioxetine well, and increasing the dose to 20 mg daily did not lead to more side effects. However, it's important to note that the studies were conducted over a relatively short period, so the long-term effects and safety of vortioxetine still need further investigation.
