Sections
Overview | Mechanisms of Action | Indications and Efficacy | Clinical Use | Antidepressants and Suicide | Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors | Serotonin–Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors | Bupropion | Nefazodone | Trazodone | Mirtazapine | Tricyclic and Heterocyclic Antidepressants | Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors | Treatment of Specific Disorders | Discontinuation of Antidepressants | Antidepressant Switching
Excerpt
One of the most rapidly expanding areas in psychopharmacology
is the development of antidepressant medications. Indeed, the antidepressant
class contains several different types of medications, categorized
largely by their actions on neurotransmission. To date, all antidepressants
appear to be similarly effective for treating major depression,
but individual patients may respond preferentially to one agent
or another. In addition, these medications are significantly different
from one another with regard to side effects, lethality in overdose,
pharmacokinetics, drug–drug interaction potential, and
the ability to treat comorbid disorders. In this section, we review
the pharmacological properties of the various medications within
the antidepressant class and discuss some of their clinical uses.