Does escitalopram have a more rapid onset of action than citalopram in terms of symptom relief?

Escitalopram achieves a significant separation from placebo, significantly faster than citalopram. This significance, versus both citalopram and placebo, is reached after 1 week, as measured by the primary outcome variable (change from baseline in MADRS total score). A significant separation from placebo and citalopram is also seen at week 1 with the CGI-improvement score, which reflects the physician’s impression of the patient (ref.1). Additional evidence is provided by a pharmacological depression model (chronic mild stress), which indicates that escitalopram may have an effect as early as week 1 (ref.2). This may translate into a clinical benefit for the patient, as early symptom relief can also have a positive impact on patient compliance.

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References:

1. Gorman et al, 2002

2. Montgomery et al, 2001