Published online by Cambridge University Press: 07 November 2014
Although considered rare and intractable until relatively recently, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is now recognized as a common condition that can be treated. Clomipramine initially dominated the treatment of OCD, but the introduction of the selective serotonin reup-take inhibitors (SSRIs) now allows OCD to be treated without the unpleasant adverse effects associated with the high doses of clomipramine necessary in OCD. Double-blind, placebo-controlled, and active treatment comparison trials showing the efficacy of fluvoxamine and fluoxetine in particular now provide good reasons to consider SSRIs as first-line therapy for OCD.