March 1, 2006 - The Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) has approved a skin patch to treat depression in adults.
The antidepressant medication, called Emsam, is the first
skin (transdermal) patch for depression.
You apply a new Emsam patch to your torso, thigh or upper
arm each day, allowing the medication to be absorbed into
your bloodstream over a 24-hour period. Precisely how MAOIs
such as Emsam work isn't fully known. Researchers believe
that monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), including Emsam,
relieve depression by maintaining high levels of certain mood-enhancing
chemicals in your brain.
Emsam is not approved for use in children ages 17 or younger.
For some adults, Emsam provides more depression treatment
options because at its lowest dose you can use it without
the dietary restrictions needed with all oral MAOIs.
MAOIs can cause potentially life-threatening interactions
with foods, even common cheeses and luncheon meats. Because
of these problems, doctors typically prescribe MAOIs only
after trying other antidepressant medications first.
To access the full story and learn more about Emsam, please
click
here.
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