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ANTIDEPRESSANT DRUGS |
Dorland's Medical Dictionary (Saunders, Pub) defines depression as a psychiatric syndrome consisting of dejected mood, insomnia, weight loss, sometimes associated with guilt feelings and somatic preoccupations, often delusional, agitated or melancholic. The disease and its ramifications are huge in scope.
Drug therapy for depression dates back many years to the monoamine oxidase inhibitors (e.g., Nardil, Parnate), and the tricyclic antidepressants (Tofranil, Elavil, Parnate). Newer generation drugs apply different rationales. SEROTONERGICS act as antidepressants by increasing availability of serotonin at the synapse (the microgap where one nerve communicates with another). Prozac is a famous example; others are Celexa and Lexapro. Welbutrin is sold as Zyban for smoking cessation; Zoloft for severe PMS. Paxil is used to treat post-traumatic stress; Luvox is used in obsessive compulsive disorders.
Effexor is prescribed for GAD (generalized anxiety disorder).
Adverse effects of antidepressant drugs are well known. Prozac and others can affect weight and appetite, cause nausea, insomnia, edginess, anxiety and sexual problems. One can understand why these drugs are prescription only.
The FDA has warned that patients traking antidepressants can become suicidal in the first weeks of therapy. They should be watched carefully.
Antidepressant use in children has risen significantly, but remains limited to less than one-half of 1%. Use in girls aged 5 and under far exceeds use in boys.
This is a large and challenging subject. You can read much more about it and about serotonin in my book, "Drugs and the Human Body", 7th Edition, 2004, Prentice Hall Pub. . | | |
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