Antidepressant Medication Side Effects Like Weight, Blood Pressure Fluctuations Differ Depending on Medication

• A extensive new study found that the unwanted effects of antidepressant medications vary considerably by drug.
• Certain medications led to reduced body weight, while other medications led to weight gain.
• Pulse rate and BP also differed markedly across treatments.
• Those encountering persistent, intense, or troubling adverse reactions ought to speak with a physician.

Recent investigations has found that depression drug side effects may be more diverse than earlier believed.

This large-scale study, published on October 21, assessed the influence of antidepressant medications on more than 58,000 participants within the initial eight weeks of starting treatment.

The researchers analyzed 151 investigations of 30 drugs commonly prescribed to manage major depression. While not everyone encounters side effects, some of the most prevalent observed in the study were fluctuations in body weight, BP, and metabolic indicators.

There were notable disparities among depression treatments. For example, an 60-day regimen of agomelatine was linked to an mean reduction in body weight of around 2.4 kilos (roughly 5.3 pounds), whereas another drug patients increased nearly 2 kg in the equivalent duration.

Furthermore, marked fluctuations in cardiovascular activity: fluvoxamine often would reduce pulse rate, whereas another medication increased it, causing a gap of approximately 21 heartbeats per minute between the two medications. Arterial pressure varied as well, with an 11 millimeters of mercury disparity observed across one drug and another medication.

Healthcare specialists noted that the study's findings are not considered novel or startling to psychiatric specialists.

"It has long been understood that different depression drugs vary in their effects on body weight, blood pressure, and further metabolic indicators," a specialist commented.

"Nonetheless, what is notable about this investigation is the comprehensive, relative quantification of these variations throughout a broad array of physical indicators utilizing findings from in excess of 58,000 participants," this expert commented.

This investigation offers robust evidence of the magnitude of side effects, certain of which are more prevalent than other effects. Common depression drug unwanted effects may include:

• stomach problems (sickness, bowel issues, irregularity)
• sexual problems (decreased libido, orgasmic dysfunction)
• weight changes (increase or decrease, depending on the agent)
• rest issues (inability to sleep or sedation)
• dry mouth, sweating, migraine

Meanwhile, rarer but medically important side effects may encompass:

• elevations in arterial pressure or cardiac rhythm (particularly with SNRIs and certain tricyclic antidepressants)
• reduced blood sodium (notably in senior patients, with SSRIs and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors)
• liver enzyme elevations
• QTc extension (risk of abnormal heart rhythm, particularly with citalopram and certain tricyclics)
• reduced emotions or apathy

"A key factor to consider regarding this matter is that there are various distinct classes of antidepressant medications, which contribute to the varying unwanted drug reactions," another specialist commented.

"Moreover, depression treatments can influence each patient distinctly, and unwanted effects can vary based on the particular pharmaceutical, amount, and individual factors including metabolism or comorbidities."

Although some adverse reactions, including fluctuations in sleep, hunger, or vitality, are quite common and often improve with time, other effects may be less frequent or continuing.

Antidepressant adverse reactions may differ in seriousness, which could require a change in your medication.

"A modification in antidepressant may be appropriate if the patient experiences ongoing or unbearable unwanted effects that don't get better with passing days or management strategies," a professional commented.

"Moreover, if there is an emergence of recent medical conditions that may be aggravated by the present treatment, such as hypertension, irregular heartbeat, or considerable weight gain."

You may also contemplate talking with your doctor about any lack of substantial improvement in depression-related or anxiety-related indicators following an adequate trial period. An sufficient evaluation duration is typically 4–8 weeks duration at a therapeutic dosage.

Personal preference is also crucial. Some people may choose to prevent certain unwanted effects, like sexual problems or {weight gain|increased body weight|mass addition