The anti-depressant drugs have a wide range of side effects, and it is important to keep these in mind when they are being used.

Allergic reactions: severe itching, skin rashes, sensitivity to light.

Nervous system: fatigue, headache, lethargy and drowsiness may occur, and some anti-depressant drugs are highly sedative. Other drugs may cause insomnia, anxiety and decrease in libido. Other side-effects include twitching, tremors, inability to walk, convulsions, high body temperature (hyperthermia).

Heart and blood vessels: increase in the heart rate (tachycardia), disturbances in heart rhythm, decrease in blood pressure in the standing or erect posture, sudden and sustained high blood pressure if contain food stuff are taken at the same time (eg cheese, beans, buttermilk, curds, chocolate and soyabeans).

Behavioural problems: excitement, anxiety, excessive activity or elated mood (mania), hallucinations.

Others: Jaundice, swelling of feet, white blood cell abnormalities. Dryness of mouth, difficulty in urination, constipation, high body temperature, difficulty in vision.

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Anti-depressents - Types and Action

October 15th 2009 05:39

There are four main groups of anti-depressant drugs:

Tricyclic anti-depressants: These are the most commonly used drugs and include imipramine, disimipramine, amitryptiline, nortryptiline, clomipramine, etc.

Monoamine oxidase inhibitors: Examples: isocarboxazid, iproniazid, tranycypromine.

Selective seratonin re-uptake inhibitors: Examples: fluoxetine, paroxetine, sertraline.

Others: Examples: carbamazepine, lithium.

Action of anti-depressant drugs

Anti-depressant drugs take about two to three weeks to start their action. When this happens, the mood of depressed individuals is improved. Such persons feel more active and less lethargic. Suicidal thoughts are markedly reduced. Some drugs also reduce the anxiety associated with depression

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Types of depression

October 7th 2009 03:39

Depression is a common psychiatric problem present in the general population and is often unrecognized and under diagnosed. A potentially serious problem, depression can disrupt normal life and drive the affected person to attempt suicide. To minimize the disruption of the social life of the affected individual, the condition should be diagnosed as early as possible and treatment started immediately.

There are two major types of depression:

Unipolar depression: Depression is either reactive or endogenous. Reactive depression occurs after a particular event such as death in the family, sudden misfortune, accidents, etc. Endogenous depression usually occurs in the middle or later years of life, and is more common in women than in men. There is a general slowing down of body, mind and speech. The individual withdraws from usual activities. Other symptoms include feelings of guilt, inferiority and anxiety. The individual may also complain of waking up early in the morning, occasional nightmares, loss of appetite, loss of weight and loss of libido.

Bipolar depression (manic-depressive psychosis or MDP): Here, the depression is associated with mania, each condition occurring alternately.

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