Depression Drug Side Effects Such as Body Weight, BP Fluctuations Range Depending on Medication

• A comprehensive new investigation found that the side effects of antidepressants vary substantially by drug.
• Certain medications caused decreased mass, whereas others caused weight gain.
• Heart rate and BP also differed markedly across drugs.
• Patients encountering ongoing, severe, or concerning adverse reactions must discuss with a medical provider.

Recent studies has revealed that antidepressant medication side effects may be more extensive than once assumed.

This comprehensive research, released on the 21st of October, examined the effect of antidepressant medications on more than 58,000 individuals within the initial eight weeks of beginning therapy.

The investigators analyzed 151 research projects of 30 medications commonly employed to address major depression. While not all individuals develops unwanted effects, several of the most common recorded in the study were changes in weight, arterial pressure, and metabolic markers.

There were significant disparities among antidepressant medications. For example, an two-month regimen of one medication was connected with an average weight loss of around 2.4 kilos (roughly 5.3 pounds), while another drug users gained close to 2 kg in the identical duration.

Furthermore, significant changes in cardiac function: one antidepressant was likely to slow cardiac rhythm, whereas another medication increased it, creating a difference of approximately 21 heartbeats per minute between the two medications. Arterial pressure varied as well, with an 11 millimeters of mercury difference noted among nortriptyline and doxepin.

Medical experts commented that the study's conclusions are not considered novel or unexpected to mental health professionals.

"It has long been understood that different antidepressants vary in their impacts on body weight, blood pressure, and additional metabolic indicators," a expert explained.

"Nonetheless, what is notable about this investigation is the thorough, comparison-based assessment of these differences among a broad spectrum of bodily measurements using findings from more than 58,000 individuals," this professional added.

This research delivers strong support of the extent of side effects, certain of which are more prevalent than other effects. Frequent antidepressant medication side effects may include:

• stomach problems (sickness, bowel issues, irregularity)
• sexual dysfunction (reduced sex drive, anorgasmia)
• body weight fluctuations (addition or reduction, according to the medication)
• sleep disturbances (insomnia or sleepiness)
• oral dehydration, moisture, migraine

At the same time, less frequent but medically important side effects may include:

• increases in blood pressure or heart rate (especially with serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors and certain tricyclics)
• low sodium (especially in older adults, with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and SNRIs)
• liver enzyme elevations
• Corrected QT interval prolongation (risk of abnormal heart rhythm, notably with one medication and certain tricyclics)
• reduced emotions or indifference

"A key factor to note in this context is that there are multiple different categories of depression drugs, which lead to the distinct unwanted pharmaceutical side effects," a different expert commented.

"Moreover, antidepressant medications can influence each person variably, and adverse effects can differ according to the specific pharmaceutical, dosage, and personal considerations such as body chemistry or simultaneous health issues."

Although certain adverse reactions, such as changes in sleep, hunger, or vitality, are quite common and frequently improve as time passes, others may be less common or continuing.

Antidepressant medication unwanted effects may vary in severity, which could warrant a adjustment in your drug.

"An adjustment in depression drug may be warranted if the individual experiences ongoing or unacceptable adverse reactions that fail to enhance with passing days or supportive measures," a specialist commented.

"Moreover, if there is an emergence of new medical issues that may be worsened by the present treatment, such as elevated BP, irregular heartbeat, or significant mass addition."

You may furthermore contemplate speaking with your physician regarding any absence of meaningful improvement in low mood or anxiety-related indicators after an appropriate testing period. An sufficient trial period is usually 4–8 weeks duration at a therapeutic dosage.

Personal preference is furthermore crucial. Certain people may want to evade particular adverse reactions, including intimacy issues or {weight gain|increased body weight|mass addition