Escitalopram treatment of menopausal hot flashes

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of 10 and 20 mg/day of escitalopram on objectively recorded hot flashes and on the rectal temperature threshold for sweating. Two studies were performed: 16 women received 10 mg/day and 26 women received 20 mg/day escitalopram for 8 weeks. They were randomly assigned in equal numbers to receive active drug or placebo in a double-blind fashion. Hot flash frequency was measured with an ambulatory recorder during the first 3 weeks and during the 8th week of the study. Rectal temperature threshold for sweating was measured during the 1st and 8th weeks of the study using published methods. In the first study, there were no significant effects whatsoever for any measure. In the second study, the escitalopram group showed an average decline in hot flash frequency of 14.4%, whereas the placebo group showed an average increase of 6.7% (P < 0.05). However, there were no significant effects across time for either group. There were no significant effects whatsoever for rectal temperature sweating thresholds. Escitalopram at 10 or 20 mg/day is not effective in the treatment of menopausal hot flashes.