Effexor Clinical Trials

What Are Effexor Clinical Trials?

Effexor (venlafaxine), is a chemical compound developed by the Pfizer pharmaceutical company. It is in the family of serotonin - norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors. Prior to its approval by the FDA in 1993, researchers were studying how the drug worked on everything from fibromyalgia to anxiety, depression, even agoraphobia. Researchers became hopeful about its clinical trial success with improving the mood, energy, and overall participation of non-placebo participants. It has been shown to work better than many other anti-depressant compounds during clinical studies.

Why Is Effexor Being Studied In Clinical Trials?

Researchers are always conducting clinical studies of Effexor to ensure its safety, efficacy, interactions with other medications, as well as to find new uses for it and ways to improve it. For instance, Effexor was only available in immediate release form. Due to a clinical study conducted in 2008, it was found that it was more effective in extended release form. Pfizer developed an extended release in 2010. Clinical studies were also responsible for finding that older adults responded better to Effexor than other medications. Research studies also found that combining Effexor with suboxene can improve, difficult to treat, major depressive disorder. The effect on dosage levels has also been studied to try and reduce the frequency of side effects.

How Does Effexor Treatment Work?

Effexor works by increasing the levels of natural mood enhancing chemicals in the brain. Effexor is a serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI). These chemicals, when balanced, will improve your mood, energy, and interest in daily life. A physician will determine which of the 3 dosage amounts is right for an individual. When taking Effexor, patients must communicate with their doctor about any side effects they may be experiencing. These side effects could include loss of appetite, dizziness, sweating, insomnia, or suicidal thoughts.

What Are Some Breakthrough Clinical Trials Involving The Use Of Effexor?

2012: A study conducted in the Netherlands evaluated the relationship between violence, specifically homicide and suicide rates, and the use of Effexor.

2018: A study done by the Washington University School of Medicine found that the use of Effexor along with the drug Suboxene ( used for opioid withdrawal) can increase the success rate when treating patients with treatment resistant depression.

Who Are The Key Opinion Leaders On Effexor Clinical Trial Research?

Andrew Leuchter,M.D. is a professor of Psychiatry at the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA. He has written over 200 articles about the treatment of depression, including one of the first on a study he conducted on the effectiveness of Effexor to treat major depressive disorder.

Eric Lenze is a Wallace Renard professor of Psychiatry at Washington University in St. Louis, MO. He has been researching treatment methods for anxiety, depression, and brain health in older adults for over 20 years. He has conducted studies and published his findings on the different uses of Effexor with older adults who have difficult to treat psychiatric issues.