Doxepin or diazepam for anxious and anxious-depressed outpatients?

J Clin Psychiatry. 1978 Feb;39(2):135-9.

Abstract

A six-week double blind comparison of doxepin and diazepam in the treatment of 61 anxious outpatients showed few drug differences. Diazepam treated patients improved significantly more early in the trial, according to a few measures. They also had significantly fewer complaints of drowsiness. By six weeks, the medicines appeared roughly equal in efficacy. Practically no support was found for the position that doxepin may be more beneficial for anxious-depressive syndromes. In all patients, and also within the anxious-depressive subgroup, there were small mean differences on many criteria favoring doxepin at six weeks, but none reached significance. The doxepin group gained significantly more weight. Possible biasing influences were present requiring that the results be interpreted with particular caution.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Comparative Study
  • Controlled Clinical Trial
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Ambulatory Care*
  • Anxiety / drug therapy*
  • Body Weight / drug effects
  • Clinical Trials as Topic
  • Depression / drug therapy*
  • Diazepam / adverse effects
  • Diazepam / therapeutic use*
  • Double-Blind Method
  • Doxepin / adverse effects
  • Doxepin / therapeutic use*
  • Drug Evaluation
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Patient Dropouts
  • Self-Assessment
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Doxepin
  • Diazepam