Antidepressant Side Effects Including Body Weight, BP Variations Vary Depending on Medication

• An extensive recent research discovered that the adverse reactions of depression drugs differ significantly by drug.
• Certain pharmaceuticals resulted in weight loss, whereas different drugs resulted in added mass.
• Heart rate and arterial pressure furthermore varied significantly between medications.
• Individuals experiencing persistent, serious, or worrisome unwanted effects ought to speak with a medical provider.

Recent research has found that antidepressant medication unwanted effects may be more extensive than previously thought.

This large-scale research, released on the 21st of October, assessed the influence of antidepressant drugs on in excess of 58,000 individuals within the initial 60 days of starting therapy.

These scientists studied 151 studies of 30 medications frequently used to treat depression. Although not everyone experiences unwanted effects, certain of the most frequent recorded in the investigation were fluctuations in body weight, arterial pressure, and metabolic parameters.

There were significant variations between antidepressant drugs. For example, an two-month course of one medication was associated with an typical decrease in mass of about 2.4 kilos (roughly 5.3 pounds), whereas another drug users gained nearly 2 kg in the identical duration.

There were also, marked variations in heart function: fluvoxamine often would reduce pulse rate, whereas another medication raised it, producing a difference of around 21 BPM across the two drugs. Blood pressure fluctuated as well, with an 11 millimeters of mercury variation observed between one drug and another medication.

Medical experts noted that the study's results are not considered recent or startling to mental health professionals.

"We've long known that distinct antidepressant medications differ in their effects on weight, BP, and further metabolic indicators," one professional explained.

"Nonetheless, what is remarkable about this research is the thorough, comparative quantification of these differences throughout a extensive spectrum of bodily measurements employing data from more than 58,000 participants," the specialist added.

The investigation provides comprehensive evidence of the extent of adverse reactions, several of which are more common than different reactions. Common antidepressant medication adverse reactions may include:

• stomach problems (queasiness, bowel issues, blockage)
• sexual problems (lowered desire, orgasmic dysfunction)
• weight changes (increase or loss, based on the medication)
• sleep problems (insomnia or sleepiness)
• oral dehydration, perspiration, head pain

Additionally, rarer but therapeutically relevant adverse reactions may comprise:

• rises in blood pressure or cardiac rhythm (particularly with serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors and certain tricyclic antidepressants)
• hyponatremia (particularly in senior patients, with SSRIs and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors)
• liver enzyme elevations
• QTc prolongation (risk of abnormal heart rhythm, particularly with citalopram and some tricyclic antidepressants)
• emotional blunting or indifference

"A key factor to consider in this context is that there are multiple varying classes of antidepressants, which result in the varying adverse drug side effects," another specialist explained.

"Furthermore, depression treatments can impact every individual variably, and adverse effects can range based on the specific medication, dose, and individual factors including metabolism or co-occurring conditions."

While some side effects, such as changes in sleep, hunger, or vitality, are quite frequent and frequently improve with time, different reactions may be less frequent or more persistent.

Depression drug adverse reactions may vary in intensity, which could warrant a adjustment in your drug.

"An adjustment in depression drug may be necessary if the person experiences persistent or intolerable unwanted effects that fail to enhance with duration or management strategies," one specialist stated.

"Moreover, if there is an emergence of recently developed medical issues that may be worsened by the current drug, such as elevated BP, abnormal heart rhythm, or significant weight gain."

Patients may also contemplate speaking with your physician concerning any deficiency of substantial improvement in low mood or anxiety-related signs after an sufficient trial period. An sufficient testing period is generally 4–8 weeks' time at a therapeutic dosage.

Individual preference is also significant. Certain patients may choose to prevent specific adverse reactions, including sexual dysfunction or {weight gain|increased body weight|mass addition