Depression Drug Adverse Reactions Such as Body Weight, Blood Pressure Changes Vary Depending on Medication

• A extensive recent study found that the side effects of antidepressant medications vary substantially by drug.
• Certain drugs led to decreased mass, while different drugs resulted in weight gain.
• Pulse rate and blood pressure additionally diverged markedly across medications.
• Individuals suffering from continuing, serious, or troubling adverse reactions must consult a healthcare professional.

Latest investigations has found that depression drug side effects may be more diverse than once assumed.

The extensive investigation, published on the 21st of October, examined the effect of depression treatments on more than 58,000 individuals within the initial two months of starting medication.

These investigators studied 151 studies of 30 drugs typically employed to manage clinical depression. Although not every patient develops unwanted effects, certain of the most prevalent observed in the investigation were changes in weight, BP, and metabolic indicators.

There were striking differences across antidepressant medications. As an illustration, an 60-day treatment period of one medication was connected with an mean decrease in mass of approximately 2.4 kilos (roughly 5.3 lbs), while maprotiline individuals added almost 2 kg in the same period.

Furthermore, significant variations in heart function: one antidepressant often would slow heart rate, in contrast nortriptyline increased it, producing a gap of around 21 BPM among the both treatments. BP varied also, with an 11 mmHg difference seen among one drug and another medication.

Healthcare specialists observed that the investigation's conclusions are not considered recent or surprising to psychiatric specialists.

"We've long known that various antidepressants range in their effects on body weight, BP, and other metabolic parameters," one professional commented.

"However, what is remarkable about this research is the thorough, comparison-based quantification of these variations across a extensive range of bodily measurements using information from in excess of 58,000 participants," this specialist noted.

This study offers strong evidence of the extent of adverse reactions, certain of which are more prevalent than others. Common depression drug adverse reactions may include:

• stomach problems (sickness, bowel issues, irregularity)
• intimacy issues (decreased libido, inability to orgasm)
• body weight fluctuations (gain or reduction, based on the drug)
• sleep problems (insomnia or sleepiness)
• oral dehydration, sweating, headache

Additionally, less common but medically important adverse reactions may encompass:

• elevations in blood pressure or cardiac rhythm (notably with SNRIs and some tricyclic antidepressants)
• low sodium (notably in senior patients, with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors)
• increased liver enzymes
• Corrected QT interval lengthening (chance of irregular heartbeat, notably with citalopram and some tricyclic antidepressants)
• reduced emotions or indifference

"One thing to note in this context is that there are several distinct categories of antidepressants, which contribute to the different unwanted pharmaceutical side effects," a different expert explained.

"Additionally, depression treatments can influence every individual distinctly, and adverse reactions can vary based on the particular drug, dosage, and individual elements including metabolism or co-occurring conditions."

Although several side effects, like fluctuations in sleep, hunger, or vitality, are reasonably common and frequently enhance with time, others may be less frequent or longer-lasting.

Antidepressant unwanted effects may differ in severity, which could justify a modification in your drug.

"A change in depression drug may be necessary if the person experiences ongoing or unacceptable side effects that don't get better with time or supportive measures," one professional stated.

"Moreover, if there is an emergence of new medical conditions that may be exacerbated by the present medication, for example hypertension, arrhythmia, or significant mass addition."

You may furthermore contemplate talking with your healthcare provider regarding any deficiency of significant improvement in low mood or anxiety symptoms subsequent to an appropriate trial period. An appropriate testing period is usually 4–8 weeks' time at a treatment dose.

Personal preference is also crucial. Some people may prefer to evade certain adverse reactions, including sexual problems or {weight gain|increased body weight|mass addition