Updated

An analysis published in The Lancet Psychiatry found the antidepressant escitalopram performed best at preventing relapse among nearly 10,000 people, ahead of Prozac. The study pooled earlier comparisons of more than a dozen common antidepressants, with patients prescribed different medications for up to a year. According to the BBC report, escitalopram ranked top, followed by agomelatine and duloxetine, with Prozac just below them. The findings add to the evidence on which medications work best for keeping depression from returning. The differences were modest, and experts stressed that the results do not mean everyone with severe depression should switch to escitalopram or that other antidepressants are no good, since all can work and each has pros and cons. Prof Eric Ruhé of Radboud University said the choice can vary for each person, while Dr Sameer Jauhar of Imperial College London said the research cannot tell which antidepressant will work best for an individual. Doctors already advise staying on antidepressants for at least six months after depression ends, then tapering off gradually, and longer studies are still needed.