Antidepressant Side Effects Including Weight, BP Changes Range by Drug

• A comprehensive recent study determined that the adverse reactions of depression drugs vary considerably by drug.
• Some drugs caused decreased mass, whereas others led to increased body weight.
• Heart rate and BP furthermore diverged significantly across treatments.
• Patients experiencing continuing, intense, or worrisome adverse reactions should discuss with a healthcare professional.

Recent investigations has discovered that antidepressant medication unwanted effects may be more extensive than earlier believed.

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

These scientists studied 151 investigations of 30 medications commonly employed to treat depression. While not every patient experiences unwanted effects, certain of the most prevalent recorded in the research were changes in body weight, blood pressure, and metabolic parameters.

There were significant differences across depression treatments. For example, an two-month course of agomelatine was connected with an typical decrease in mass of about 2.4 kilograms (roughly 5.3 pounds), while maprotiline patients gained close to 2 kg in the same timeframe.

Additionally, marked changes in heart function: fluvoxamine often would reduce heart rate, while another medication raised it, producing a disparity of around 21 BPM among the both treatments. Blood pressure varied as well, with an 11 millimeters of mercury variation noted between nortriptyline and doxepin.

Medical specialists noted that the investigation's findings are not recent or unexpected to mental health professionals.

"Clinicians have long recognized that various depression drugs vary in their impacts on body weight, blood pressure, and additional metabolic parameters," one professional commented.

"However, what is remarkable about this research is the thorough, comparative quantification of these disparities among a broad array of physical indicators using findings from in excess of 58,000 individuals," the expert noted.

This research offers strong support of the extent of unwanted effects, certain of which are more frequent than others. Frequent depression drug unwanted effects may include:

• stomach problems (queasiness, loose stools, irregularity)
• intimacy issues (decreased libido, anorgasmia)
• mass variations (addition or reduction, depending on the drug)
• rest issues (insomnia or drowsiness)
• dry mouth, perspiration, migraine

Meanwhile, rarer but clinically significant side effects may include:

• increases in blood pressure or heart rate (particularly with SNRIs and certain tricyclics)
• low sodium (especially in elderly individuals, with SSRIs and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors)
• elevated hepatic parameters
• QTc prolongation (potential of irregular heartbeat, particularly with one medication and certain tricyclics)
• reduced emotions or apathy

"A key factor to consider regarding this matter is that there are multiple distinct categories of antidepressant medications, which contribute to the different negative drug side effects," a different specialist stated.

"Furthermore, depression treatments can impact each patient variably, and unwanted reactions can differ according to the exact drug, amount, and individual considerations such as metabolic rate or comorbidities."

Although several unwanted effects, including changes in sleep, hunger, or vitality, are reasonably typical and often get better over time, others may be less common or more persistent.

Antidepressant unwanted effects may range in severity, which could require a adjustment in your medication.

"A adjustment in antidepressant medication may be necessary if the patient suffers ongoing or intolerable adverse reactions that don't get better with duration or supportive care," one specialist commented.

"Furthermore, if there is an development of recently developed medical issues that may be worsened by the present medication, for instance hypertension, arrhythmia, or significant mass addition."

You may also consider speaking with your physician about any lack of substantial improvement in low mood or anxiety symptoms following an appropriate trial period. An sufficient trial period is usually 4–8 weeks' time at a treatment dosage.

Personal inclination is additionally significant. Some patients may want to prevent certain unwanted effects, like intimacy issues or {weight gain|increased body weight|mass addition