Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration

CMHS Consumer Affairs E-News
August 24, 2007, Vol. 07-132

New AHRQ Guides Summarize Effectiveness, Side Effects of Antidepressants

The Agency for Health Research and Quality (AHRQ)'s new plain-language guides outline the latest scientific evidence on antidepressants, including how well the medicines work and their potential side effects. The guides-one written for clinicians, the other for patients-explain that about 6 in 10 adult patients get some relief from the drugs. In addition, about 6 in 10 experience at least one side effect, ranging from nausea to sexual dysfunction.

AHRQ's new guides summarize information on a dozen second-generation antidepressants: bupropion (sold as Wellbutrin), citalopram (Celexa), duloxetine (Cymbalta), escitalopram (Lexapro), fluoxetine (Prozac), fluvoxamine (formerly sold as Luvox), mirtazapine (Remeron), nefazodone (formerly Serzone), paroxetine (Paxil), sertraline (Zoloft), trazodone (formerly Desyrel), and venlafaxine (Effexor).

The guides can be found on the AHRQ Web site, http://effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/.

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The Center for Mental Health Services is a component of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, United States Department of Health and Human Services.