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Query: UMLS:C0027497 (nausea)
 23,468 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The clinical trial development programme of mirtazapine (Org 3770), performed in Europe and the United States, demonstrated an outstanding safety profile of this compound. The evaluation of the safety was based on data from all patients who took at least one dose of study medication during studies comparing mirtazapine with placebo, amitriptyline or other active comparators. A general indication of mirtazapine's safety is the significantly lower percentage of patients (65%) who complained of any adverse clinical experiences compared with the placebo- (76%) or amitriptyline-treated group (87%). Moreover, drop-out rates due to adverse clinical experiences were significantly lower than in the amitriptyline-treatment group. Mirtazapine has virtually no anticholinergic, adrenergic or typical selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) side effects. The only significantly higher incidences versus placebo were seen in the adverse clinical effects of drowsiness (23% versus 14%), excessive sedation (19% versus 5%), dry mouth (25% versus 16%), increased appetite (11% versus 2%) and weight increase (10% versus 1%). These complaints were typically mild and transient in nature, and decreased over time despite increased doses of mirtazapine. In contrast, significantly higher incidences of headache (5% versus 10%) and weight decrease (2% versus 6%), symptoms commonly seen in depressed patients, were recorded in the placebo-treated patients. Also, typical SSRI adverse events, such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and insomnia, and symptoms of sexual dysfunction were registered less frequently in mirtazapine-treated patients than in the placebo-treated patients. Approximately 10% of the mirtazapine-treated patients in the clinical trial programme were older than 65 years. The pattern of adverse clinical experiences seen in this group of patients is fully in line with that seen in the overall patient population. The analysis of vital sign indices, i.e. blood pressure and heart rate, showed that no changes occurred with mirtazapine treatment; this pattern was fully comparable to that seen with placebo. Furthermore, very low incidences of clinically relevant changes in laboratory indices, such as the liver enzymes alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase or neutropenia, were recorded in each treatment group. Mirtazapine has a very low seizure-inducing potential: only one case was recorded in a patient with a history of seizures during previous treatment with clomipramine. The low seizure-inducing potential combined with a lack of cardiotoxic properties allows safety in an overdose of mirtazapine, even in elderly patients. The only symptom seen in the patients taking an overdose of mirtazapine alone or in combination with other drugs was excessive but transient somnolence, which resolved spontaneously within a few hours. In conclusion, the new antidepressant mirtazapine offers clinicians a unique combination of strong efficacy and good safety.
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PMID:Safety of mirtazapine: a review. 893 8

Mirtazapine is a new antidepressant that falls into the general class of receptor-blocking drugs rather than being an uptake or enzyme inhibitor. It can be described as a noradrenergic and specific serotonergic antidepressant (NaSSA). The unique pharmacology of mirtazapine means that it has a very different side effect profile from the tricyclic antidepressants, producing less alpha 1 adrenergic and muscarinic blockade, and the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and the serotonin-noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), causing much less nausea and sexual dysfunction by virtue of its blockade of 5-HT2 and 5-HT3 receptors.
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PMID:Mirtazapine: pharmacology in relation to adverse effects. 926 49

We aimed to compare the antidepressant and anxiolytic effects, tolerability and effects on quality of life of mirtazapine and citalopram in a randomized, double-blind, multicentre, 8-week study. Patients with a Major Depressive Episode (DSM-IV) and a baseline score of > or = 22 on the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) were randomized to 8 weeks treatment with either mirtazapine (n = 137, 15-60 mg/day) or citalopram (n = 133, 20-60 mg/day). Efficacy was evaluated by the MADRS, Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A), Clinical Global Impression scales (CGI), the Leeds Sleep Evaluation Questionnaire (LSEQ) and Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire (QLESQ). The efficacy analyses were performed on the Intent-To-Treat Group using the Last Observation Carried Forward method. Vital signs and laboratory variables are measured and adverse events recorded at each weekly visit. The magnitude of reduction from baseline in group mean MADRS scores was large in both groups, reaching after 8 weeks of treatment mean scores of 9.1 in the mirtazapine group and 8.9 in the citalopram group. Both treatments also resulted in a substantial improvement in anxiety symptoms, sleep disturbances and quality of life, and high percentage of responders. However, at day 14, statistically significantly larger magnitudes of change favouring mirtazapine were present in the group mean MADRS, HAM-A and CGI-Severity of illness and Quality of life scores. A difference of 2.3 points on MADRS favouring mirtazapine is considered indicative for a clinically relevant superiority between two proven antidepressants. Mirtazapine treatment was also related to faster improvement of sleep, quality of sleep and improved alertness following awakening, as shown by statistically significant differences on the self-rating LSEQ at various time points. There were no differences between two treatment groups on self-rating QLSEQ. Both drugs were well tolerated, with a low number of patients in either group prematurely terminating the study due to adverse events (mirtazapine: 3.6%, citalopram, 3.0%). Sweating and nausea were statistically significantly more frequent in the citalopram group and increased appetite and complaints of weight increase in the mirtazapine group. There were no clinically relevant changes in laboratory parameters and vital sign variables with either treatment, except for clinically relevant increase in body weight, occurring more frequently in mirtazapine patients. In this study, mirtazapine and citalopram were equally effective in reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety, and well tolerated. However, mirtazapine was significantly more effective than citalopram after 2 weeks of treatment on the MADRS, HAM-A and CGI Severity of illness and Quality of life scales. This finding, consistently present at all major efficacy variables, suggests potentially faster onset of efficacy of mirtazapine over citalopram.
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PMID:Efficacy and tolerability of mirtazapine versus citalopram: a double-blind, randomized study in patients with major depressive disorder. Nordic Antidepressant Study Group. 1056 99

Despite limited understanding of therapeutic aetiopathogenesis of ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, there is a strong evidence base for the efficacy of pharmacological and biological therapies. It is equally important to recognise toxicity of the medical armamentarium for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Sulfasalazine consists of sulfapyridine linked to 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) via an azo bond. Common adverse effects related to sulfapyridine 'intolerance' include headache, nausea, anorexia, and malaise. Other allergic or toxic adverse effects include fever, rash, haemolytic anaemia, hepatitis, pancreatitis, paradoxical worsening of colitis, and reversible sperm abnormalities. The newer 5-ASA agents were developed to deliver the active ingredient of sulfasalazine while minimising adverse effects. Adverse effects are infrequent but may include nausea, dyspepsia and headache. Olsalazine may cause a secretory diarrhoea. Uncommon hypersensitivity reactions, including worsening of colitis, pancreatitis, pericarditis and nephritis, have also been reported. Corticosteroids are commonly prescribed for treatment of moderate to severe IBD. Despite short term efficacy, corticosteroids have numerous adverse effects that preclude their long term use. Adverse effects include acne, fluid retention, fat redistribution, hypertension, hyperglycaemia, psycho-neurological disturbances, cataracts, adrenal suppression, growth failure in children, and osteonecrosis. Newer corticosteroid preparations offer potential for targeted therapy and less corticosteroid-related adverse effects. Azathioprine and mercaptopurine are associated with pancreatitis in 3 to 15% of patients that resolves upon drug cessation. Bone marrow suppression is dose related and may be delayed. The adverse effects of methotrexate include nausea, leucopenia and, rarely, hypersensitivity pneumonia or hepatic fibrosis. Common adverse effects of cyclosporin include nephrotoxicity, hypertension, headache, gingival hyperplasia, hyperkalaemia, paresthesias, and tremors. These adverse effects usually abate with dose reduction or cessation of therapy. Seizures and opportunistic infections have also been reported. Antibacterials are commonly employed as primary therapy for Crohn's disease. Common adverse effects of metronidazole include nausea and a metallic taste. Peripheral neuropathy can occur with prolonged administration. Ciprofloxacin and other antibacterials may be beneficial in those intolerant to metronidazole. Newer immunosuppressive agents previously reserved for transplant recipients are under investigation for IBD. Tacrolimus has an adverse effect profile similar to cyclosporin, and may cause renal insufficiency. Mycophenolate mofetil, a purine synthesis inhibitor, has primarily gastrointestinal adverse effects. Biological agents targeting specific sites in the immunoinflammatory cascade are now available to treat IBD. Infliximab, a chimeric antibody targeting tumour necrosis factor-or has been well tolerated in clinical trials and early postmarketing experience. Additional trials are needed to assess long term adverse effects.
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PMID:Comparative tolerability of treatments for inflammatory bowel disease. 1108 48

Mirtazapine is an antidepressant that has a receptor-binding profile that may suit it for use in controlling the nausea and insomnia of highly emetic cancer chemotherapy. Mirtazapine binds to and is antagonistic at the 5HT3 receptor, as are the group of medicines related to ondansetron. Mirtazapine is anxiolytic by virtue of its antagonism of the 5HT2 receptor, and is strongly sleep inducing. The resulting sleep quality tends to be superior to that induced by benzodiazapines. There has been concern about mirtazapine's potential to suppress bone marrow function, so that further study is required before routine use in chemotherapy can be adopted.
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PMID:Mirtazapine may be useful in treating nausea and insomnia of cancer chemotherapy. 1158 76

Mirtazapine is an antidepressant whose side effect profile differs from that of first-line agents (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) used in the treatment of panic disorder. The present study compared the effect of mirtazapine and fluoxetine in the treatment of panic disorder in a double-blind, randomized, flexible-dose trial conducted with outpatients. After a 1-week single-blind placebo run-in, 27 patients entered an 8-week double-blind phase in which they were randomly assigned to treatment with either mirtazapine or fluoxetine. Both groups improved significantly in all but one efficacy measure (P < or = 0.01). ANOVA showed no significant differences between the two treatment groups in number of panic attacks, Hamilton Anxiety Scale or Sheehan Phobic Scale, whereas measures of patient global evaluation of phobic anxiety were significantly different between groups (F1,20 = 6.91, P = 0.016) favoring mirtazapine. For the 22 patients who completed the study, the mean daily dose of mirtazapine was 18.3 +/- 1.3 vs 14.0 +/- 1.0 mg for fluoxetine at the endpoint. Weight gain occurred more frequently in the mirtazapine group (50 vs 7.7%, P = 0.04) and nausea and paresthesia occurred more often in the fluoxetine group (P = 0.01). Results suggest that mirtazapine has properties that make it attractive for the treatment of panic disorder.
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PMID:Mirtazapine versus fluoxetine in the treatment of panic disorder. 1159 5

Paroxetine inhibits cytochrome P(450) 2D6, which is involved in the metabolism of mirtazapine. The possible drug-drug interaction between two pharmacologically distinct antidepressants, mirtazapine and paroxetine, has been investigated in a randomized, three-way crossover study in 24 healthy male and female subjects. After a titration phase of 3 days, each subject received single daily doses of 30 mg mirtazapine, 40 mg paroxetine or the combination for 6 days. Assessments included serial blood sampling for pharmacokinetics at steady state, cognitive testing using the test battery of CDR Ltd, a visual analogue mood rating scale (Bond and Lader) and the Leeds Sleep Evaluation Questionnaire. Paroxetine inhibits the metabolism of mirtazapine, as shown by increases of approximately 17% and 25% of the 24 h AUC's of mirtazapine and its demethyl metabolite, respectively. Mirtazapine did not alter the pharmacokinetics of paroxetine. The combined administration of mirtazapine and paroxetine probably does not alter cognitive functioning or result in major changes on the visual analogue mood rating scale and Sleep Evaluation Questionnaire, compared with the administration of either drug alone. The incidence of adverse events was lower during combined administration of mirtazapine and paroxetine than during administration of either drug alone. Fatigue, dizziness, headache, nausea, anxiety and somnolence were the most common adverse events during combined administration. These data suggest that the combination of mirtazapine and paroxetine is unlikely to lead to clinically relevant drug-drug interactions and can be used without dose adjustment of either drug. The combination may even be better tolerated than either drug alone. Copyright 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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PMID:Mirtazapine and paroxetine: a drug-drug interaction study in healthy subjects. 1240 53

We sought to determine whether mirtazapine is safe and well-tolerated as a treatment for essential tremor (ET). We studied mirtazapine in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study of 17 ET patients. Patients were started with 15 mg per day of either mirtazapine or placebo for 1 week and the dose was escalated weekly until the targeted dose of 45 mg per day was achieved. This dose was maintained for 2 weeks. Tremor was assessed at baseline and after 14 days of 45 mg of mirtazapine or placebo. There was a minimum washout period of 14 days between the two arms of the study. Tremor assessments included global improvement, Fahn Tolosa Marin Tremor Rating Scale, Beck Depression Inventory and the Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire-39. Patient global improvement ratings indicated that in the placebo condition 12 patients were unchanged and 1 patient was mildly improved. In the mirtazapine condition, 10 patients were unchanged, 2 were moderately improved and 1 was markedly improved. There was no significant improvement with mirtazapine or placebo compared to baseline as measured by the Tremor Rating Scale. Adverse effects were more common in the mirtazapine group and included drowsiness, confusion, dry mouth, weight gain, polyuria, itching, nausea, gait and balance problems, blurred vision, and bad taste. We conclude that the majority of the ET patients do not benefit from mirtazapine. Mirtazapine has significant adverse effects and should be used cautiously in ET patients.
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PMID:Mirtazapine in essential tremor: a double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study. 1272 74

The goal of the German drug safety program in psychiatry AMSP (Arzneimittelsicherheit in der Psychiatrie) is the assessment of severe or new adverse drug reactions (ADRs). Here we report on 53,042 of 122,562 patients treated with antidepressants who were monitored from 1993 to 2000 in 35 psychiatric hospitals in German-speaking countries. The overall incidence of severe ADRs of antidepressants was 1.4 % of exposed patients; when only ADRs rated as probable or definite were considered, a rate of 0.9 % in patients treated with antidepressants was observed. ADR rates were higher for TCAs (imputed in 1.0 % of patients overall, respectively in 0.6 % of patients when only ADs were imputed) and lower for MAO inhibitors and SSRIs (0.7 % for both, respectively 0.3 % and 0.4 %). Within the TCA group there was a difference among clomipramine (2.1 %, respectively 1.0 %), amitriptyline (1.0 %, respectively 0.6 %), and doxepin or trimipramine (both 0.6 %, respectively 0.3 %). With regard to single SSRI, similar rates were observed for paroxetine (0.8 %, respectively 0.5 %) and for citalopram (0.7 %, respectively 0.4 %). Of the new dual-acting antidepressants, venlafaxine ranged at 0.9 %, (respectively 0.5 %) and mirtazapine at 0.6 % (respectively 0.5 %). In particular, TCAs were associated with known risks, such as toxic delirium, grand mal seizures, and hepatic (i. e., increased liver enzymes), urologic (i. e., urinary retention), allergic (i. e., exanthema), or cardiovascular (i. e., mainly orthostatic collapse) reactions. In SSRI-treated patients (non-delirious) psychic and neurological ADRs were most prominent, followed by gastrointestinal, dermatologic, and endocrinological/electrolyte reactions, with agitation, hyponatremia (probably as part of the SIADH syndrome and associated with severe neurologic or psychiatric symptoms in 64 % of all cases), increased liver enzymes, nausea, and the serotonin syndrome as leading unwanted symptoms. Venlafaxine (in the immediate-release formulation) was associated with adverse CNS and somatic symptoms such as severe agitation, diarrhea, increased liver enzymes, hypertension, and hyponatremia. Mirtazapine was mostly connected with increased liver enzymes, cutaneous edema, and collapse, but with no case of significant hyponatremia. For drugs that potently inhibit serotonin uptake, serum sodium concentration should be controlled when applied in high-dose therapy or in vulnerable patients.
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PMID:Severe adverse drug reactions of antidepressants: results of the German multicenter drug surveillance program AMSP. 1505 13

Mirtazapine and olanzapine are easy-to-use psychiatric drugs with potent antinausea effects. Ondansetron and later members of the 'setron class are currently standard treatments for cancer chemotherapy-related nausea and emesis. They are potent 5-HT3 blockers, but it is often not appreciated that mirtazapine and olanzapine bind with similar affinity to 5-HT3 receptors, have a longer half-life, are considerably cheaper than the 'setron class, and often offer better and smoother 24-h nausea control than 'setron class drugs. Mirtazapine and olanzapine often have salutary antianxiety effects and improve sleep quality. They occasionally relieve chemotherapy-related and advanced cancer-related nausea and appetite decrease better than the 'setron group that are specifically marketed for nausea control. Mirtazapine and olanzapine frequently give potent nausea reduction and appetite increase in advanced cancer-related cachexia. Several cytokine changes potentially induced by mirtazapine and olanzapine use are discussed that may have salutary effects in several cancers. We suggest mirtazapine and olanzapine be included as first-line options in treating both chemotherapy- and advanced cancer-related nausea. Multiple clinical and economic advantages of mirtazapine and olanzapine over currently used 'setron class medicines are reviewed. Double-blind studies against the 'setron class drugs are warranted.
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PMID:Cancer chemotherapy and cachexia: mirtazapine and olanzapine are 5-HT3 antagonists with good antinausea effects. 1758 60


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