Antidepressant Medication Side Effects Like Body Weight, Blood Pressure Variations Differ by Drug

• A comprehensive latest research determined that the adverse reactions of antidepressant medications vary substantially by drug.
• Some drugs led to reduced body weight, whereas different drugs led to weight gain.
• Heart rate and arterial pressure additionally diverged significantly among medications.
• Patients encountering persistent, serious, or concerning unwanted effects must consult a physician.

Latest investigations has discovered that antidepressant unwanted effects may be more varied than earlier believed.

This comprehensive research, released on October 21st, analyzed the effect of depression treatments on more than 58,000 participants within the beginning 60 days of beginning therapy.

The researchers studied 151 studies of 30 drugs typically used to address clinical depression. While not all individuals encounters adverse reactions, several of the most prevalent observed in the investigation were changes in weight, arterial pressure, and metabolic parameters.

There were significant differences across depression treatments. As an illustration, an two-month treatment period of one medication was associated with an mean decrease in mass of around 2.4 kg (about 5.3 lbs), whereas another drug patients added close to 2 kg in the equivalent period.

There were also, significant variations in heart function: one antidepressant tended to reduce pulse rate, whereas nortriptyline elevated it, producing a gap of around 21 beats per minute across the two medications. Arterial pressure varied too, with an 11 millimeters of mercury variation seen among one drug and another medication.

Healthcare professionals observed that the research's results are not novel or unexpected to psychiatric specialists.

"Clinicians have long recognized that distinct depression drugs vary in their influences on weight, arterial pressure, and other metabolic parameters," a professional explained.

"Nevertheless, what is significant about this investigation is the thorough, comparison-based measurement of these disparities across a wide array of physiological parameters utilizing data from in excess of 58,000 subjects," the professional commented.

The research delivers robust evidence of the degree of unwanted effects, several of which are more common than other effects. Frequent depression drug unwanted effects may include:

• stomach problems (nausea, diarrhea, blockage)
• sexual dysfunction (lowered desire, inability to orgasm)
• body weight fluctuations (gain or loss, according to the agent)
• sleep disturbances (inability to sleep or sleepiness)
• dry mouth, sweating, head pain

At the same time, less common but clinically significant unwanted effects may comprise:

• elevations in blood pressure or heart rate (particularly with SNRIs and some tricyclics)
• hyponatremia (notably in elderly individuals, with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors)
• increased liver enzymes
• Corrected QT interval extension (chance of arrhythmia, particularly with citalopram and some tricyclic antidepressants)
• diminished feelings or lack of interest

"An important point to consider regarding this matter is that there are various varying categories of antidepressant medications, which result in the varying unwanted pharmaceutical reactions," another specialist commented.

"Furthermore, depression treatments can affect each patient variably, and adverse side effects can vary according to the exact pharmaceutical, amount, and patient considerations like metabolism or simultaneous health issues."

Although certain side effects, including changes in rest, hunger, or vitality, are quite frequent and commonly enhance over time, different reactions may be less typical or continuing.

Antidepressant side effects may range in severity, which could require a change in your medication.

"An adjustment in depression drug may be warranted if the individual experiences ongoing or intolerable unwanted effects that don't get better with duration or supportive measures," one professional stated.

"Furthermore, if there is an development of recent medical conditions that may be worsened by the current treatment, such as hypertension, abnormal heart rhythm, or considerable weight gain."

You may also think about speaking with your healthcare provider about any absence of significant progress in depression-related or anxiety-related signs subsequent to an adequate evaluation duration. The sufficient evaluation duration is generally 4–8 weeks' time at a effective amount.

Patient inclination is additionally significant. Certain people may prefer to avoid specific adverse reactions, like intimacy issues or {weight gain|increased body weight|mass addition