International clinical psychopharmacology
-
Int Clin Psychopharmacol · May 2004
Comparative StudyEfficacy of risperidone in treating the hyperactive symptoms of delirium.
Forty-one delirious patients who received risperidone treatment and 36 who received haloperidol treatment were retrospectively analysed. Ten-point visual analog scales (scored 0 for none to 10 for extremely severe) for hyperactive and hypoactive syndromes of delirium were used for efficacy evaluation. Psychiatrists scrutinized the medical records and determined the global severity of the syndrome for each patient. ⋯ The patients on risperidone needed much less anticholinergic agent. The maximal daily dose of risperidone was in the range 0.5-4.0 mg, with a mean of 1.17+/-0.76 mg, which was much lower than that for schizophrenia. The present study showed that risperidone appears to be effective and safe for the treatment of delirium.
-
Int Clin Psychopharmacol · May 2004
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical TrialThe cost-effectiveness of mirtazapine versus paroxetine in treating people with depression in primary care.
Currently, there are no data available comparing cost-effectiveness of two antidepressants in the primary care setting in the UK. Alongside a randomized, double-blind, 24-week study of mirtazapine and paroxetine, data were prospectively collected on patients' use of hospital and non-hospital services and days off work. Costs were estimated in each treatment arm from National Health Service (NHS) and societal perspectives, and were compared with selected outcome measures (numbers of 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (17-HAMD) responders and changes in Quality of Life in Depression Scale scores between baseline and 24-week endpoint) to explore and compare relative cost-effectiveness. ⋯ Mean total NHS costs per patient were also lower (120 pounds) with mirtazapine (1408 pounds) compared to paroxetine (1528 pounds). The advantage for mirtazapine remained present on all variables analysed after performing sensitivity analyses. The results suggest that mirtazapine may be a cost-effective treatment choice compared to paroxetine for depression in a primary care setting.