Antidepressant May Help Ease Hot Flashes Jan. 18, 2011 -- Low doses of the antidepressantLexapro (escitalopram) cooled off hot flashes better than placebo in about 200 menopausal women, according to a new study.

''We believe escitalopram provides an option for treating moderate to severe hot flashes that are disrupting people's lives and quality of life," says study researcher Ellen Freeman, PhD, a research professor in the department of obstetrics-gynecology and psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia.

In the study, Freeman found the antidepressant reduced both the number and severity of hot flashes compared to placebo. Previous studies of other antidepressants have yielded mixed results, according to Freeman.

The new study findings suggest Lexapro can provide an option for women reluctant to take hormone therapy.

The findings are published in TheJournal of the American Medical Association.

Slideshow: Menopause and Perimenopause Overview