Types of antidepressants and what are they for

Depressive symptomatology and depressive pictures can be treated through different intervention strategies. One of them, perhaps the best known, is pharmacological therapy, based mainly on antidepressant psychotropic drugs.

At present we can find several types of antidepressants, among which the doctor or psychiatrist will choose the most appropriate for the case. The prescription of the drug will be accompanied by indications and explanations for their consumption that the patient must comply with the treatment of the greatest possible efficiency.

If you want to know a little more about antidepressant psychopharmopharmaceutical types of antidepressants and what are they for.

1. What are antidepressants and what are they for
2. Tricyclic and tetracyclic antidepressants (ADT)
3. Monoaminexidase inhibitors
4. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRs)
5. Serotonin and norepinenialine reuptake inhibitors (IRSN)
6. NORADREERGICAL AND SELROTONERGICAL (NASSA)
7. Selective norepinenaline reuptake inhibitors (ISRN)
8. Selective dopamine reuptake inhibitors (ISRD)

What are antidepressants and what are they for

Antidepressants are a type of psychotropic. Next, we will see how they work, what they are used for, their side effects and their types.

How antidepressants work

Based on the monoaminergic hypothesis of depression, Antidepressant psychopharmopharmaceutical. In this article we speak in depth of the neurotransmitters involved in depression. The first psychotropic, the classics act on all three at the same time. On the contrary, the most modern act on them selectively and specificly.

What antidepressants are used for

Antidepressants are used especially to treat depression. When talking about depression we can refer to:

• Depression as A diagnostic picture such as major depression disorder or dystimia, which entail a series of symptoms that make up the disorder (depressive symptoms such as insomnia, psychomotor delay, anhedonia, etc.).
• Popularly we can refer as "being depressed" to experiment a low mood. This low mood would not only be a symptom of depressive disorders, we can also find them in other diagnostic pictures.

There are various explanatory theories about the origin of depression. Without detracting from the others, the monoaminergic hypothesis of depression establishes that Depressed people suffer a deficit of one of the biogenic monoamines: norepinenial, serotonin and dopamine. The treatment of depressive disorders includes and combines, on many occasions, psychological therapy and pharmacological therapy. Within the latter, the drugs of choice are antidepressants. Next, we will see what antidepressants are for.

The treatment must be supervised at all times by a doctor. We should not self -administer that type of drugs or interrupt its consumption voluntarily. The abrupt interruption of treatment can cause symptoms such as vertigo, anxiety and agitation, insomnia, nausea, diarrhea, low mood, etc. In this article, we explain how to leave antidepressants.

Antidepressants are indicated, in addition to treating depressive diagnostic pictures such as distinction or major depression disorder, others such as compulsive obsessive disorder, panic disorder, social phobia, post -traumatic stress disorder, impulse control disorders, etc.

Secunadary effects of antidepressants

Finally, drugs can cause side effects in patients. This is also the case of antidepressants, especially the most classic. The patient must take into account that these side effects may appear and that, in addition, the therapeutic effects of antidepressants are delayed between two and four weeks. Therefore, it should not be alarmed if you do not notice improvement and side effects also appear during the first weeks. Here we explain why antidepressants take effect.

¿How many types of antidepressants exist? Next, we will see the 7 types of antidepressants with their names and characteristics.

Tricyclic and tetracyclic antidepressants (ADT)

These types of antidepressants act on serotonin, norepinenial and on histamine and acetylcholinic muscarinic receptors. Examples of these drugs are:

• Amitriptyin
• IMMAMIN (TOFRANIL)
• Nortriptyin (pamelo)
• Desipramina (Norpamin)

It is a type of classic antidepressant that has a great therapeutic effect observed only in depressed patients and would have no effect on non -depressed population.

As a negative characteristic, we indicate that tricyclic antidepressants can cause numerous side effects such as drowsiness, bitterness, dry mouth, constipation, vision problems, tachycardia, decreased libido, etc.

Monoaminexidase inhibitors

Monoaminoxidase inhibitors can be:

• Irreversible (imao): like the Fenelzina (Nardil) either Meclobamide. Perhaps the most negative aspect of the irreversible type is that it presents numerous interactions both at the dietary level (for example with cheese or red wine) and at the pharmacological level (even with antipyretic or anti -sinking drugs). In addition it can also cause side effects such as dry mouth, dizziness, constipation, headache, etc.
• Reversible (rhyme). The reversible type (rhyme) at high doses must follow the same restrictive guidelines as irreversible (IMAO).

These act inhibiting monoaminexidase enzyme, responsible for metabolizing biogenic amines (remember that these are norepinephrine, serotonin and dopamine).

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRs)

This type of antidepressant acts specifically on the serotonin deficit. Its mood stabilizer effect usually occurs at 2-4 weeks of treatment. Unlike tricyclic antidepressants, this type of drugs presents Few side effects that also disappear in a few weeks, being the most common nausea, restlessness and headaches. The selective inhibitory antidepressants of serotonin reuptake are:

• Fluoxetine (Prozac)
• Paroxetine (paxil or pexeva)
• Setraline (Zoloft)
• Citalopram (Celexa)
• Escitalopram (Lexapro)

Serotonin and norepinenialine reuptake inhibitors (IRSN)

ISRN acts on serotonin and norepinenialine. They act little faster than selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. The most important side effect to consider is the hypertension, that may appear next to other side effects such as dry mouth or insomnia, in addition to alterations in the Antidepressants inhibitors of serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake are:

• VInlafaxina (Effexor XR)
• Duloxetine (cymbalta)
• Levomilnacipran (fetzima)
• Disvenlafexin (pristiq)

NORADREERGICAL AND SELROTONERGICAL (NASSA)

This type of antidepressant drugs act on the norepinephine and serotonin deficit. It is possible that after its application the patient appetite will increase and this can gain weight.

• The main name of this type of antidepressant is MirtaZapina (Remeron).

Selective norepinenaline reuptake inhibitors (ISRN)

These antidepressants have effect on norepinephrine. The side effects of these drugs can be dry mouth, constipation, insomnia and sweating.

• The main antidepressant of this type is reboxetine.

Selective dopamine reuptake inhibitors (ISRD)

So far, we have seen drugs that act selectively on norepinephrine and serotonin. In the case of the ISRD the effect is on dopamine.

• The main antidepressant of this type is BUPROPION.

These are drugs that have been used in the treatment of other psychological paintings such as smoking. Its use is advised when there is history of bulimia, mania or epilepsy.

Finally, you can see an explanatory video about the types of antidepressants.

This article is merely informative, in psychology-online we have no power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.

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