Antidepressant Adverse Reactions Such as Weight, BP Changes Differ Depending on Medication

• A comprehensive new investigation discovered that the side effects of antidepressants vary significantly by drug.
• Certain pharmaceuticals caused weight loss, whereas different drugs resulted in increased body weight.
• Heart rate and blood pressure furthermore varied notably across medications.
• Patients encountering ongoing, intense, or troubling adverse reactions must consult a physician.

Latest studies has found that antidepressant medication side effects may be more extensive than previously thought.

This extensive research, released on the 21st of October, analyzed the impact of antidepressant medications on in excess of 58,000 participants within the first eight weeks of commencing medication.

These researchers analyzed 151 studies of 30 medications frequently used to treat depression. While not all individuals develops adverse reactions, some of the most prevalent recorded in the investigation were fluctuations in body weight, blood pressure, and metabolic indicators.

Researchers observed notable differences between antidepressant drugs. For instance, an 60-day regimen of one medication was linked to an typical weight loss of around 2.4 kilograms (approximately 5.3 lbs), whereas maprotiline patients increased almost 2 kg in the same timeframe.

Furthermore, marked changes in heart function: fluvoxamine tended to slow pulse rate, in contrast another medication increased it, producing a difference of around 21 beats per minute among the both treatments. BP fluctuated too, with an 11 mmHg disparity noted across one drug and doxepin.

Clinical experts noted that the research's conclusions are not considered recent or surprising to psychiatric specialists.

"It has long been understood that different antidepressant medications range in their influences on weight, arterial pressure, and additional metabolic parameters," one specialist stated.

"However, what is remarkable about this study is the rigorous, comparative assessment of these disparities throughout a wide range of bodily measurements using findings from more than 58,000 subjects," this specialist noted.

This investigation delivers robust support of the extent of side effects, some of which are more frequent than different reactions. Typical antidepressant unwanted effects may encompass:

• digestive issues (queasiness, loose stools, blockage)
• sexual dysfunction (lowered desire, orgasmic dysfunction)
• mass variations (addition or reduction, based on the medication)
• sleep disturbances (inability to sleep or sleepiness)
• mouth dryness, moisture, headache

Meanwhile, less common but medically important unwanted effects may encompass:

• elevations in BP or pulse rate (particularly with serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors and some tricyclics)
• hyponatremia (notably in elderly individuals, with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors)
• liver enzyme elevations
• QTc lengthening (potential of abnormal heart rhythm, particularly with one medication and certain tricyclics)
• diminished feelings or lack of interest

"An important point to note here is that there are multiple different categories of antidepressants, which contribute to the varying adverse pharmaceutical reactions," another expert explained.

"Furthermore, depression treatments can influence each patient differently, and negative reactions can vary depending on the exact medication, amount, and patient factors such as metabolic rate or comorbidities."

While certain adverse reactions, like variations in sleep, hunger, or stamina, are reasonably typical and frequently improve as time passes, other effects may be less frequent or continuing.

Depression drug unwanted effects may range in intensity, which could justify a change in your medication.

"A change in antidepressant medication may be warranted if the person experiences persistent or intolerable side effects that don't get better with duration or supportive care," one expert said.

"Furthermore, if there is an appearance of new medical conditions that may be aggravated by the present drug, for example elevated BP, irregular heartbeat, or substantial mass addition."

Individuals may also contemplate speaking with your physician concerning any absence of meaningful improvement in depression-related or anxiety symptoms following an sufficient trial period. The sufficient evaluation duration is usually 4–8 weeks' time at a effective amount.

Individual inclination is additionally significant. Certain people may prefer to prevent particular adverse reactions, such as sexual problems or {weight gain|increased body weight|mass addition