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DECARD: Study of Escitalopram in the Prevention of Depression in Patients With Acute Coronary Syndrome

NCT00140257 · Status: UNKNOWN · Phase: PHASE4 · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 240

Last updated 2008-12-31

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of preventive treatment with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) (escitalopram) in the first year after acute coronary syndromes (ACS).

Methods: 240 patients with acute coronary syndromes (ST-elevation myocardial infarction \[STEMI\]), non-STEMI or unstable angina) will be enrolled within 8 weeks after ACS and will be randomly assigned to treatment with escitalopram/placebo (5-20 mg) in 52 weeks. Primary outcome measures are the diagnosis of depression and HDS (Hamilton Depression Scale). Psychiatric measurements: SCAN (Schedules for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry), HDS, HAS (Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale), Udvalg for Kliniske Undersogelser (UKU) Side Effect Rating Scale, ESSI (Enhancing Recovery in Coronary Heart Disease \[ENRICHD\] Social Support Instrument), SF-36 (Short Form-36 Health Survey), SCL-92 (Symptom Check List) and BDI (Beck´s Depression Inventory). Cardiological measurements are blood pressure, electrocardiography, echocardiography (left ventricular ejection fraction), heart rate variability and use of medicine.

Discussion: ACS patients with mental illness are usually only diagnosed to a very small extent during admission in a cardiologic department. These patients mainly remain untreated with an increased risk of somatic comorbidity and mortality. Therefore, it is in accordance with ethical principles to conduct a double blind, placebo-controlled study investigating the interface between anxiety, depression and ACS. Even in this blinded study, where one of the groups are treated with placebo, there will be a higher degree of treatment of depressive symptoms due to the low recognition of this problem.

Conclusion: The DECARD study is the first study evaluating the effect of prophylactic treatment of depression in patients with ACS. The study will show if prophylactic treatment will improve cardiac prognosis.

Conditions

Interventions

DRUG

Escitalopram

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • H. Lundbeck A/S

    collaborator INDUSTRY

  • Danish Heart Foundation

    collaborator OTHER

  • The Danish Medical Research Council

    collaborator OTHER

  • Bispebjerg Hospital

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • Morten Birket-Smith, MD, DMSci · Psychiatric Centre Bispebjerg, Bispebjerg University Hospital

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
DOUBLE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2004-11-30
Primary Completion
2008-12-31

Countries

  • Denmark

Study Locations

More Related Trials

Entities

Diseases

Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT00140257 on ClinicalTrials.gov