Top 10 Anti-Depressants

Anti-depressant drugs are used to treat depression, depression with anxiety, and depression associated with bipolar disorder or cyclothymic disorder. Anti-depressants are also used for pain relief and sleep disorders. The average time for an anti-depressant to take full effect is anywhere from 4-6 weeks. Unfortunately, most people will try multiple drugs before finding the one(s) that work the best.

Top 10 antidepressant drugs prescribed in the U.S. are:

1. Duloxetine (Cymbalta)

2. Desvenlafaxine (Pristiq)

3. Vilazodone (Viibryd)

4. Citalopram (Celexa)

5. Sertraline (Zoloft)

6. Fluoxetine (Prozac Weekly, Prozac)

7. Trazodone (Desyrel)

8. Escitalopram (Lexapro)

9. Paroxetine (Paxil, Paxil CR)

10. Venlafaxine (Effexor, Effexor XR)

Most Common Types of Anti Depressants:

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). These drugs are known to help elevate a patient's mood. 5 out of the top 10 antidepressants are SSRI's.

1. Fluoxetine (Prozac Weekly, Prozac, Sarafem)

2. Citalopram (Celexa)

3. Sertraline (Zoloft)

4. Paroxetine (Paxil, Pexeva, Paxil CR)

5. Escitalopram (Lexapro)

Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) are similar to SSRIs and work by blocking reuptake of both serotonin and norepinephrine to help elevate mood. Examples of SNRIs include:

1. Venlafaxine (Effexor, Effexor XR)

2. Duloxetine (Cymbalta, Irenka)

3. Levomilnacipran (Fetzima)

4. Desvenlafaxine (Pristiq)

Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) are an older class of antidepressants. While they are stronger, they also have more side effects and are usually only prescribed when other, newer types of antidepressants don’t work. Examples of TCAs include:

1. Amitriptyline (Elavil)

2. Imipramine (Tofranil)

3. Nortriptyline (Pamelor)

Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) are one of the first classes of antidepressants on the market and are usually only prescribed when all other categories of antidepressants have failed to work because they have serious side effects and interactions with foods and other medicines. Examples of MAOIs include:

1. Isocarboxazid (Marplan)

2. Phenelzine (Nardil)

3. Tranylcypromine (Parnate)

Disclaimer: This information is provided as an educational resource. It is not to be used to make a medical decision. Consult your doctor before making medical decisions regarding any anti-depressant drugs.

Source: www.emedicinehealth.com