Survey study, 2001
Do SSRIs help treat PMDD?
Yes. About 65% of women respond well to SSRIs like fluoxetine or sertraline, with improvement in both mood and physical symptoms.
What they did
They searched published research from 1966 to August 2000 for studies on SSRIs (a type of antidepressant) used to treat PMDD.
What they found
About 65% of women had good results from SSRI therapy, especially with fluoxetine or sertraline. Both emotional and physical symptoms improved. Studies lasting as long as 18 months showed continued benefit. Recent research suggested that taking SSRIs only during the luteal phase (second half of the cycle) may work almost as well as taking them continuously in some women.
What it means for you
SSRIs are an effective treatment for PMDD, with about two-thirds of women responding well. This is a review of published studies rather than a new study, so quality depends on the studies included. It is unclear which women would do best with phase-only dosing versus continuous dosing.
65%
Response rate for global clinical outcomes
18 months
Duration of benefit shown in studies
About the study
- Original title
- Selective Serotonin-Reuptake Inhibitors in Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder
- Authors
- Irma G Barcelona, Laurie Slack Mauro
- Journal
- Journal of Pharmacy Technology
- Year
- 2001
- Study design
- Survey study
- What was tested
- SSRIs (fluoxetine, sertraline, paroxetine)
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1177/875512250101700403
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