SSRI (selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors) Antidepressants are a class of compounds primarily used as antidepressants in the treatment of anxiety disorders, personality disorders and depression-related ailments. The efficacy of these drugs is widely disputed; the magnitude of benefit is contested when compared with placebo extermination. This new-found analysis discarded the majority of FDA-approved antidepressant research, including those that utilized placebo washout periods typically positioned as control groups.
Although the effectiveness of the family is often disputed, SSRI Antidepressants are the most commonly prescribed antidepressant. SSRI Antidepressants ease symptoms of moderate to severe depression disorders.
SSRI Antidepressants are thought to increase the extracellular level of the neurotransmitter serotonin through its ability to inhibit its reuptake into the presynaptic cell—a process that would effectively increase the level of serotonin in the synaptic cleft accessible to unite to the postsynaptic receptor.
How Do SSRI Antidepressants Work?
SSRI Antidepressants work (theoretically) in the treatment of depression disorders by altering neurotransmitters (chemical messengers) used to communicate between brain cells. The majority of antidepressants are effective in changing the levels of these naturally-occurring brain chemicals.
SSRI Antidepressants block the reuptake (reabsorption) of the neurotransmitter serotonin in the human brain. Altering the serotonin levels is thought to help brain cells with their ability to send and receive chemical message, which in turn bolsters the user’s mood. This classification of drugs is labeled “selective” because they will primarily alter serotonin levels and no other neurotransmitters.
Forms of SSRI Antidepressants Approved by the FDA to Treat Depression:
SSRI Antidepressants that have been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration to clinically treat depression include:
• Escitalopram (better known as Lexapro)
• Citalopram (better known as Celexa)
• Fluoxetine (better known as Prozac)
• Sertraline (better known as Zoloft)
The above SSRI Antidepressants—as well as other forms of the drug—are available in a controlled-release or extended-release method. These SSRI Antidepressants will either provide the medication throughout the day or for a week at a time with just one dose.
Side Effects Associated with SSRI Antidepressants:
All SSRI Antidepressants work in uniformity, which of course, gives way to the presence of similar side effects. That being said, each SSRI Antidepressant is composed of a different chemical structure, so one may affect a patient a little differently from another. The common side effects of SSRI Antidepressants include the following:
• Dry Mouth
• Nausea
• Headache
• Diarrhea
• Nervousness
• Rash
• Erectile dysfunction
• Insomnia
• Weight gain
• Drowsiness
