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

• A large recent study found that the side effects of antidepressants vary considerably by drug.
• Certain medications resulted in weight loss, whereas others resulted in weight gain.
• Cardiac rhythm and BP additionally differed markedly between treatments.
• Patients experiencing ongoing, serious, or concerning unwanted effects must discuss with a physician.

Recent studies has found that depression drug side effects may be more diverse than previously thought.

This large-scale research, released on October 21st, assessed the impact of antidepressant drugs on in excess of 58,000 subjects within the first 60 days of starting treatment.

These investigators studied 151 investigations of 30 medications frequently prescribed to address major depression. Although not every patient encounters unwanted effects, several of the most prevalent observed in the study were variations in weight, arterial pressure, and metabolic indicators.

The study revealed notable disparities among antidepressant drugs. For example, an two-month course of one medication was linked to an mean reduction in body weight of about 2.4 kilos (about 5.3 pounds), whereas another drug users gained close to 2 kg in the identical timeframe.

Furthermore, significant variations in cardiovascular activity: fluvoxamine was likely to reduce cardiac rhythm, in contrast nortriptyline elevated it, causing a gap of about 21 BPM across the two medications. BP varied also, with an 11 millimeters of mercury disparity noted among nortriptyline and another medication.

Medical experts observed that the investigation's conclusions aren't recent or unexpected to mental health professionals.

"Clinicians have long recognized that various depression drugs vary in their effects on body weight, blood pressure, and other metabolic indicators," a expert commented.

"However, what is notable about this investigation is the thorough, comparative measurement of these differences across a broad spectrum of bodily measurements using data from over 58,000 subjects," the specialist added.

This research delivers comprehensive evidence of the magnitude of adverse reactions, certain of which are more common than other effects. Common antidepressant medication adverse reactions may comprise:

• gastrointestinal symptoms (sickness, loose stools, blockage)
• intimacy issues (decreased libido, orgasmic dysfunction)
• body weight fluctuations (increase or decrease, according to the medication)
• rest issues (sleeplessness or sleepiness)
• oral dehydration, moisture, head pain

Meanwhile, less common but medically important adverse reactions may include:

• rises in arterial pressure or pulse rate (notably with serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors and certain tricyclics)
• hyponatremia (notably in older adults, with SSRIs and SNRIs)
• liver enzyme elevations
• QTc lengthening (risk of abnormal heart rhythm, particularly with citalopram and some tricyclics)
• emotional blunting or apathy

"A key factor to remember here is that there are various varying categories of depression drugs, which result in the varying negative pharmaceutical side effects," a different expert commented.

"Additionally, antidepressant medications can affect each patient variably, and unwanted reactions can vary according to the specific medication, dose, and patient considerations including metabolism or comorbidities."

Although several side effects, including fluctuations in rest, appetite, or vitality, are fairly frequent and frequently get better as time passes, other effects may be less common or more persistent.

Depression drug side effects may vary in seriousness, which could justify a modification in your drug.

"An adjustment in antidepressant medication may be necessary if the person encounters persistent or intolerable side effects that do not improve with duration or supportive measures," one professional commented.

"Moreover, if there is an appearance of new medical conditions that may be worsened by the present medication, such as high blood pressure, arrhythmia, or considerable increased body weight."

Individuals may also think about consulting with your doctor regarding any lack of significant progress in depression-related or anxiety signs after an adequate testing period. The appropriate evaluation duration is typically 4–8 weeks duration at a therapeutic dosage.

Individual inclination is additionally significant. Some individuals may want to evade specific adverse reactions, such as intimacy issues or {weight gain|increased body weight|mass addition