Topics: Antidepressants

After many years of trying, Wyeth finally received FDA approval for its new antidepressant, Pristiq (desvenlafaxine). Don’t get too excited, though – Pristiq is simply the active metabolite of Effexor and it’s unclear whether it adds anything of value to our current quiver of antidepressants.

Topics: Antidepressants

We typically warn our patients about common side effects, such as headache, GI distress and sexual dysfunction when we start SSRIs. Here are some of the side effects that we don’t necessarily talk to patients about, but should be able to recognize and discuss in particular contexts.

Topics: Antidepressants

A former FDA reviewer and his colleagues obtained all FDA data on studies of 12 antidepressants approved between 1987 and 2004. They then scoured the journals to figure which of these studies had been published. They found that of the 74 FDA-registered trials of antidepressants, 23 (31%) had never been published.

Topics: Antidepressants

Researchers used the Freedom of Information Act to retrieve all clinical trials data from the FDA on four different antidepressants: fluoxetine, venlafaxine, nefazodone, and paroxetine.

Topics: Antipsychotics

Dr. Jeste, I know that you were responsible for some of the original research demonstrating that tardive dyskinesia is a possible side effect of antipsychotics. Why were you interested in the topic?