The antidepressant mirtazapine appears to be a safe and effective treatment option for patients with fibromyalgia, according to a systematic review published in Rheumatology International mirtazapine is a central alpha-2 antagonist currently FDA-approved for the treatment of major depressive disord er. It is a potent antagonist of 5-HT2 and 5-HT3 serotonin receptors, as well as H1 histamine receptors. "A key difference when compared to other treatment options is that mirtazapine targets many of the symptoms of fibromyalgia with its mechanism of action and simple once daily dosing," explained the authors.
To investigate the role of mirtazapine for fibromyalgia, researchers searched various database and identified 3 randomized, placebo-controlled studies and 1 open-label trial that fit the inclusion criteria. The selected studies lasted 6 to 13 weeks in duration, included mirtazapine…
