Antidepressant Medication Side Effects Such as Body Weight, BP Changes Vary Depending on Medication

• A comprehensive latest research found that the unwanted effects of depression drugs differ substantially by drug.
• Some medications led to weight loss, whereas different drugs caused weight gain.
• Cardiac rhythm and BP additionally differed significantly across drugs.
• Patients suffering from ongoing, intense, or worrisome side effects should speak with a medical provider.

Recent investigations has revealed that antidepressant unwanted effects may be more diverse than earlier believed.

The large-scale research, published on October 21, analyzed the impact of depression treatments on more than 58,000 subjects within the initial eight weeks of starting therapy.

The researchers examined 151 studies of 30 drugs commonly prescribed to address depression. While not every patient encounters unwanted effects, certain of the most common observed in the research were changes in weight, blood pressure, and metabolic markers.

There were notable disparities among antidepressant medications. As an illustration, an 60-day regimen of agomelatine was associated with an typical reduction in body weight of around 2.4 kilos (roughly 5.3 pounds), while maprotiline patients gained close to 2 kg in the identical duration.

There were also, notable variations in cardiac function: one antidepressant tended to reduce heart rate, whereas nortriptyline raised it, creating a difference of approximately 21 heartbeats per minute among the both treatments. Blood pressure fluctuated too, with an 11 millimeters of mercury variation seen among nortriptyline and another medication.

Clinical specialists commented that the research's findings aren't recent or unexpected to psychiatrists.

"It has long been understood that various antidepressant medications differ in their impacts on body weight, BP, and other metabolic measures," one professional stated.

"Nevertheless, what is significant about this research is the comprehensive, relative measurement of these differences throughout a broad array of bodily measurements employing information from more than 58,000 participants," this expert noted.

This investigation offers strong support of the degree of unwanted effects, several of which are more common than other effects. Common depression drug unwanted effects may encompass:

• stomach problems (queasiness, loose stools, irregularity)
• intimacy issues (decreased libido, orgasmic dysfunction)
• mass variations (addition or decrease, based on the medication)
• sleep problems (sleeplessness or drowsiness)
• dry mouth, perspiration, headache

Additionally, less frequent but medically important adverse reactions may comprise:

• elevations in BP or heart rate (particularly with serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors and certain tricyclics)
• low sodium (notably in senior patients, with SSRIs and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors)
• increased liver enzymes
• Corrected QT interval prolongation (chance of arrhythmia, particularly with citalopram and some tricyclic antidepressants)
• emotional blunting or apathy

"One thing to remember here is that there are multiple distinct categories of antidepressants, which lead to the different unwanted pharmaceutical reactions," a different expert commented.

"Additionally, antidepressant medications can impact each person distinctly, and unwanted reactions can vary depending on the exact pharmaceutical, amount, and individual considerations including metabolic rate or co-occurring conditions."

While some unwanted effects, including changes in sleep, hunger, or stamina, are fairly common and frequently get better with time, different reactions may be less typical or continuing.

Depression drug unwanted effects may range in intensity, which could require a modification in your medication.

"An change in depression drug may be warranted if the person experiences ongoing or unacceptable side effects that fail to enhance with time or management strategies," one professional commented.

"Moreover, if there is an appearance of recently developed medical issues that may be aggravated by the present treatment, for instance elevated BP, irregular heartbeat, or significant increased body weight."

Individuals may furthermore think about talking with your doctor regarding any absence of substantial improvement in low mood or worry indicators after an sufficient evaluation duration. An adequate evaluation duration is typically 4–8 weeks duration at a therapeutic dose.

Patient choice is furthermore important. Certain people may prefer to evade certain unwanted effects, including sexual problems or {weight gain|increased body weight|mass addition