Co-prescription of antidepressants with other psychotropics: Distinct profile of escitalopram

Objective. Recent meta-analyses have argued that there are no clinically significant differences between various selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) or between SSRIs and other antidepressants. Analysis of large-scale national prescription databases may offer a unique opportunity to see whether this premise holds true in actual practice. National databases however, should be viewed with caution as they reveal only limited information about efficacy and tolerability. Methods. The number of antidepressants prescribed annually (October 2004 to September 2005), as well as the class of drug and the use of any additional psychotropics were obtained from the Israeli subsidiary of Intercontinental Marketing Services (IMS) Health. Results. During the 12-month study period there were 2,107,763 prescriptions of antidepressants reported by IMS in Israel. Compared to other drug classes, the SSRIs were used significantly more often as a sole therapy (chi-square =1343, df=3, P < 0.0001). Of the SSRIs, escitalopram was the most frequently prescribed (79%) as monotherapy, followed by fluoxetine with 72% and < 70% for the other SSRIs. The most frequently prescribed additional psychotropic was a benzodiazepine, in the range of 38 to nearly 50%. Conclusion. Antidepressants vary significantly in their use as a single ("monotherapy") drug. The use of additional psychotropics could reflect either the presence of symptoms not well covered by a particular antidepressant or for addressing side effects particular to a certain class of antidepressants. The premise that all SSRIs are equal is not reflected in this current examination.