Posted by IsoM on September 27, 2002, at 13:02:22
In reply to Lexapro side-effects - where's the evidence? » pharmrep, posted by dr. dave on September 27, 2002, at 6:13:23
It's nice to see you post again, Dr. Dave. I like to hear from all sides.
It would be so simple to test to see if r-citalopram causes side effects. In healthy voluteers who have no problem with depression, if they were to take only the inert isomer, it could be judged if it causes side effects.
Another thing that could be tried, is to see if r-citalopram has any agonist or antagonist properties to any receptors in vitro. I realize that there's quite a few recepetors that would need testing this way & that the expensive wouldn't be justified by any possible profit, so it's unlikely to happen.
I think the main problem that people have in knowing whether there's fewer side effects with just Lexapro, as opposed to Celexa, is understanding why side effects occur. Few people understand that an effective medication doesn't just bind to the receptors needed to improve mood but to these same receptors but on different neurons throughout our body, not just the ones in our brain.
Dr. Dave, I have a full write-up by Aimee L McRae on Lundbeck's escitalopram from "Current Opinions In Investigational Drugs". Is she associated with Lundbeck at all, or impartial in your opinion?
poster:IsoM
thread:109458
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020922/msgs/121240.html