Selective Serotonin Reuptake ... Health Article

Definition

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are medicines that relieve symptoms of depression.

Purpose

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are used to treat serious, continuing depression that interferes with a person's ability to function. Like other antidepressant drugs, they help reduce the extreme sadness, hopelessness, and lack of interest in life that are typical in people with depression. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors also are used to treat panic disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), and have shown promise for treating a variety of other conditions, such as premenstrual syndrome, eating disorders, obesity, self-mutilation, and migraine headache.

Description

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, also known as SSRIs or serotonin boosters, are thought to work by correcting chemical imbalances in the brain. Normally, chemicals called neurotransmitters carry signals from one nerve cell to another. These chemicals are constantly being released and taken back up at the ends of nerve cells. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors act on one particular neurotransmitter, serotonin, reducing its re-entry into nerve cells and thus allowing serotonin to build up. Although scientists are not exactly sure how it works, serotonin is involved in the control of moods, as well as other functions such as sleep, body temperature, and appetite for sweets and other carbohydrates. Somehow, drugs that prevent the uptake of serotonin improve the moods of people with serious depression, OCD, and some types of anxiety disorders.

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are available only with a doctor's prescription and are sold in tablet, capsule, and liquid forms. Commonly used selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are fluoxetine (Prozac), paroxetine (Paxil), sertraline (Zoloft), and fluvoxamine (Luvox).

Recommended dosage

The recommended dosage depends on the type of SSRI and the type and severity of depression for which it is being taken. Dosages may be different for different people. It is important for people taking SSRIs to take the drug exactly as prescribed. Taking larger or more frequent doses or taking the drug for longer than directed, for example, can cause unwanted effects.

SSRIs are about as effective as other antidepressants. About 60-80% of people taking the drugs as directed will find that their conditions improve. However, it may take four weeks or more for the effects of this medicine to be felt. Therefore, when people begin SSRI therapy, it is important to continue taking the medication, even if an improvement in mood doesn't begin immediately.

People who take SSRIs should ask their doctors about how to stop taking the medication. Usually, doctors advise patients to taper down gradually to reduce the chance of withdrawal symptoms.

SSRIs may be taken with food to prevent stomach upset.

Precautions

There have been reports that some patients taking SSRIs have an increase in thoughts about suicide. It is not clear whether the medicine causes this effect because suicidal thoughts are very often a part of depression itself. While some patients may experience worsening of such thoughts early in the treatment of their depression, there is no credible evidence that SSRIs alone cause people to become suicidal or violent.

Serious and possibly life-threatening reactions may occur when SSRIs are used in combination with monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAO inhibitors), such as Nardil and Parnate, which also are used to treat depression. These reactions also are possible when a person stops taking an SSRI and immediately begins taking an MAOI. SSRIs and MAO inhibitors should never be taken at the same time. When switching from an SSRI to an MAOI or vice versa, it may be necessary to allow two to five weeks or more between stopping one and starting the other. The physician prescribing the medications should tell the patient exactly how much time to allow before beginning the other medication.

People with a history of manic disorders should use any antidepressant, including an SSRI, with caution.

It is important to see a doctor regularly while taking SSRIs. The doctor will check to make sure the medicine is working as it should and will watch for unwanted side effects. The doctor may also need to adjust the dosage during this period.

Some people feel drowsy, dizzy, or lightheaded when using SSRIs. The drugs may also cause blurred vision in some people. Since SSRIs can sometimes cause drowsiness, driving or operating heavy machinery should be undertaken cautiously, particularly when the person first begins taking the medication.

These medicines make some people feel lightheaded, dizzy, or faint when they get up after sitting or lying down, a condition known as orthostatic hypotension. People may try to lessen the problem by getting up gradually and holding onto something for support if possible. If the problem is severe or doesn't improve, the patient should discuss it with his or her doctor.

Because SSRIs work on the central nervous system, they may add to the effects of alcohol and other drugs that slow down the central nervous system, such as anti-histamines, cold medicine, allergy medicine, sleep aids, medicine for seizures, tranquilizers, some pain relievers, and muscle relaxants. They may also add to the effects of anesthetics, including those used for dental procedures. Anyone taking SSRIs should check with his or her doctor before taking any of the drugs mentioned above.

SSRIs may occasionally cause dry mouth, although this side effect is much more common with an older class of antidepressants known as tricyclics. To temporarily relieve the discomfort, doctors sometimes suggest chewing sugarless gum, sucking on sugarless candy or ice chips, or using saliva substitutes, which come in liquid and tablet forms and are available without a prescription. If the problem continues for more than two weeks, check with a doctor or dentist. Mouth dryness that continues over a long time may contribute to tooth decay and other dental problems.

Changes in sexual functioning are among the more common side effects with SSRIs. Depending on the particular SSRI prescribed, 8-15% of patients may report these side effects. The most common problem for men is delayed ejaculation. Women may be unable to have orgasms. A doctor should be contacted if any changes in sexual functioning occur.