Mental Disorders

A study has found that paroxetine (Paxil/ SmithKline Beecham) effectively reduced depression in patients without affecting cardiac function. The patients in the study were administered either paroxetine, an SSRI, nortriptyline or placebo. Of the 41 patients taking nortriptyline, heart rates increased by 11% and 7 of the patients dropped out of the study because of potentially serious cardiovascular side effects, such as angina and sinus tachycardia.