Antidepressant Medication Adverse Reactions Including Body Weight, Blood Pressure Fluctuations Vary Depending on Medication

• A comprehensive latest study determined that the side effects of depression drugs range significantly by drug.
• Certain medications led to weight loss, whereas other medications caused weight gain.
• Pulse rate and blood pressure additionally differed significantly across treatments.
• Patients encountering persistent, severe, or concerning unwanted effects must speak with a physician.

Latest studies has found that antidepressant medication adverse reactions may be more diverse than once assumed.

This comprehensive study, released on October 21, analyzed the impact of depression treatments on over 58,000 participants within the first eight weeks of starting treatment.

The investigators studied 151 research projects of 30 pharmaceuticals typically used to address depression. Although not every patient encounters adverse reactions, some of the most prevalent observed in the research were changes in weight, BP, and metabolic markers.

Researchers observed notable variations among antidepressant medications. For instance, an 60-day course of one medication was connected with an mean weight loss of approximately 2.4 kg (roughly 5.3 pounds), while maprotiline individuals added almost 2 kg in the same duration.

Additionally, marked changes in heart function: fluvoxamine often would reduce heart rate, whereas nortriptyline elevated it, producing a gap of approximately 21 beats per minute among the two drugs. Blood pressure fluctuated too, with an 11 mmHg variation noted across one drug and another medication.

Medical specialists observed that the research's results are not considered recent or unexpected to psychiatrists.

"We've long known that distinct antidepressants vary in their impacts on weight, blood pressure, and further metabolic indicators," a specialist explained.

"Nonetheless, what is significant about this study is the thorough, relative assessment of these disparities across a broad spectrum of physical indicators using findings from over 58,000 subjects," the expert commented.

The study provides strong support of the degree of side effects, some of which are more common than different reactions. Typical antidepressant side effects may include:

• gastrointestinal symptoms (sickness, bowel issues, constipation)
• sexual dysfunction (reduced sex drive, orgasmic dysfunction)
• body weight fluctuations (addition or reduction, depending on the agent)
• sleep problems (sleeplessness or sleepiness)
• oral dehydration, moisture, migraine

At the same time, rarer but therapeutically relevant unwanted effects may include:

• increases in BP or cardiac rhythm (especially with SNRIs and certain tricyclic antidepressants)
• hyponatremia (particularly in senior patients, with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and SNRIs)
• liver enzyme elevations
• Corrected QT interval prolongation (potential of irregular heartbeat, notably with one medication and certain tricyclic antidepressants)
• emotional blunting or apathy

"An important point to note here is that there are multiple varying categories of antidepressant medications, which result in the different negative medication effects," a different expert stated.

"Moreover, depression treatments can impact each patient differently, and unwanted reactions can vary based on the exact pharmaceutical, dose, and individual considerations including body chemistry or comorbidities."

Although several side effects, such as changes in rest, hunger, or energy levels, are fairly common and often enhance as time passes, other effects may be less frequent or continuing.

Antidepressant adverse reactions may differ in intensity, which could warrant a change in your treatment.

"A change in antidepressant may be warranted if the patient suffers continuing or unbearable side effects that do not improve with time or management strategies," one expert stated.

"Moreover, if there is an development of recent medical issues that may be exacerbated by the present treatment, for instance high blood pressure, arrhythmia, or significant weight gain."

You may furthermore think about speaking with your physician about any deficiency of meaningful improvement in depressive or worry signs subsequent to an sufficient evaluation duration. An sufficient evaluation duration is generally 4–8 weeks duration at a treatment dosage.

Personal inclination is additionally important. Certain people may want to avoid specific unwanted effects, like intimacy issues or {weight gain|increased body weight|mass addition