Journal of International Psychiatry

[Abstract] Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of escitalopram and sertraline in patients with depression and anxiety symptoms. Methods: 66 patients with depression and anxiety symptoms from January 2018 to December 2020 were included. The patients were randomly assigned to the control group (33 cases were included and treated with sertraline) and the observation group (33 cases were included and treated with escitalopram). The Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA), Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD), treatment efficiency and Medication safety. Results: (1) there was no difference in HAMA and HAMD between the groups before treatment, P > 0.05; After 4 weeks of treatment, HAMA and HAMD in the observation group were lower (P < 0.05), but there was no difference between the groups at 8 weeks of treatment (P > 0.05); (2) In terms of treatment efficiency, there was no difference between the observation group (90.91%) and the control group (87.88%), P > 0.05; (3) The incidence of gastrointestinal reaction (3.03%), headache (3.03%) and inability to sit still (0.00%) in the observation group was lower than that in the control group (18.18%), (27.27%) and (12.12%), P < 0.05, but there was no difference in the incidence of drowsiness and Insomnia between the groups (P > 0.05). Conclusion: escitalopram and sertraline can effectively treat patients with depression and anxiety symptoms, but the former has fast effect and less adverse reactions, which is worthy of popularization.

Keywords: escitalopram; Sertraline; Anxiety symptoms; depression; Security