antidepressant
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Related to antidepressant: tricyclic antidepressant
antidepressant
[an″te-, an″ti-de-pres´ant]1. preventing or relieving depression.
2. an agent used for relief of symptoms of depression. One type is the tricyclic antidepressants, so called because of their chemical structure, which has three fused rings; they block reuptake of the neurotransmitters norepinephrine and serotonin at nerve endings. This group includes amitriptyline (Elavil), desipramine (Norpramin), doxepin (Sinequan), imipramine (Tofranil), nortriptyline (Pamelor), and trimipramine (Surmontil). Two drugs with different chemical structures but similar effects are amoxapine (Asendin) and maprotiline (Ludiomil). These drugs vary in the degree to which they affect reuptake of the two neurotransmitters. Also, some are sedating while others are alerting. The patient must take the drug for about 2 to 3 weeks before the full therapeutic effect is established.
An older group of antidepressants is the monoamine oxidase inhibitorsisocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), and tranylcypromine (Parnate). These drugs inhibit monoamine oxidase, the enzyme that breaks down norepinephrine and serotonin released at nerve synapses. They are not as widely used as the tricyclic antidepressants because serious cardiovascular side effects (hypertension, headache, stroke syndrome) can occur when tyramine is ingested, and foods containing tyramine, such as cheese, certain beans, beer, and wine, must be avoided by patients taking monoamine oxidase inhibitors.
A third class consists of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, which inhibit reuptake of serotonin without affecting reuptake of norepinephrine. This group includes fluoxetine (Prozac), paroxetine (Paxil), and sertraline (Zoloft). Drugs in this group are as effective as the tricyclic antidepressants but have fewer side effects. The most significant adverse reaction seen with this group is agitation, which can be lessened by decreasing the dose. Weight gain and sexual dysfunction may also occur.
An older group of antidepressants is the monoamine oxidase inhibitorsisocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), and tranylcypromine (Parnate). These drugs inhibit monoamine oxidase, the enzyme that breaks down norepinephrine and serotonin released at nerve synapses. They are not as widely used as the tricyclic antidepressants because serious cardiovascular side effects (hypertension, headache, stroke syndrome) can occur when tyramine is ingested, and foods containing tyramine, such as cheese, certain beans, beer, and wine, must be avoided by patients taking monoamine oxidase inhibitors.
A third class consists of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, which inhibit reuptake of serotonin without affecting reuptake of norepinephrine. This group includes fluoxetine (Prozac), paroxetine (Paxil), and sertraline (Zoloft). Drugs in this group are as effective as the tricyclic antidepressants but have fewer side effects. The most significant adverse reaction seen with this group is agitation, which can be lessened by decreasing the dose. Weight gain and sexual dysfunction may also occur.
Miller-Keane Encyclopedia and Dictionary of Medicine, Nursing, and Allied Health, Seventh Edition. © 2003 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier, Inc. All rights reserved.
an·ti·de·pres·sant
(an'tē-dē-pres'ănt),1. Counteracting depression.
2. A pharmacologic agent used in treating depression.
Farlex Partner Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012
antidepressant
(ăn′tē-dĭ-prĕs′ənt, ăn′tī-)n.
A drug used to treat depression.
an′ti·de·pres′sant, an′ti·de·pres′sive (-prĕs′ĭv) adj.
The American Heritage® Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2007, 2004 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
antidepressant
adjective Relieving depression noun An agent used to manage depression, anxiety, panic disorders. See Depression, Prozac/fluxetine, Tricyclic antidepressant.McGraw-Hill Concise Dictionary of Modern Medicine. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
an·ti·de·pres·sant
(an'tē-dĕ-pres'ănt)1.Counteracting depression.
2. An agent or medication used in treating depression.
Medical Dictionary for the Health Professions and Nursing © Farlex 2012
antidepressant
One of the large range of drugs used to treat depression. Classes of antidepressant drugs include bicyclics, tricyclics, tetracyclics, monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) and selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors. Some of the most commonly used drugs are lithium (Camcolit), nortriptyline (Allegron), amoxapine (Asendis), citalopram (Cipramil), protriptyline (Concordin), flupenthixol (flupentixol) (Fluanxol), maprotiline (Ludiomil), tradozone (Molipaxin), fluphenazine (Modecate, Moditen), phenelzine (Nardil), tranylcypromine (Parnate), dothiepin (dosulepin) (Prothiaden), promazine (Sparine), thioridazine (Melleril), imipramine (Tofranil), perphenazine (Fentanyl), prochlorperazine (Stemetil), trifluoperazine (Stelazine), amitryptyline (Triptafen), clomipramine (Anafranil), doxepin (Sinequan), isocarboxazid (Marplan), tranylcypromine (Parnate), fluoxetine (Prozac) and tryptophan (Optimax).Collins Dictionary of Medicine © Robert M. Youngson 2004, 2005
Antidepressant
A medication used to relieve the symptoms of clinical depression.
Mentioned in: Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder, Premenstrual Syndrome
Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
an·ti·de·pres·sant
(an'tē-dĕ-pres'ănt)1. Counteracting depression.
2. A pharmacologic agent used in treating depression.
Medical Dictionary for the Dental Professions © Farlex 2012
Patient discussion about antidepressant
Q. My sister is taking antidepressants for her depression. My sister is taking antidepressants for her depression. Antidepressant causes her severe headache. Her medicines were changed but there is no impact in her headache. This headache is continuous and reduces only after a good sleep. I think she can try with Chinese medicines for her headache? Will it be of any help?
A. Yes. You can try Chinese Medicines not only for headache but also for depression. Chinese medicine can help cure depression and they will not show any side effects. But headaches can be treated by Chinese medicines. Just meet the doctor and tell him the problem. She will be fine.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYsN-FiceXA&eurl=http://www.imedix.com/health_community/vGYsN-FiceXA_acupuncture_chinese_medicine?q=depression%20chinese%20medicine&feature=player_embedded
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYsN-FiceXA&eurl=http://www.imedix.com/health_community/vGYsN-FiceXA_acupuncture_chinese_medicine?q=depression%20chinese%20medicine&feature=player_embedded
Q. Please suggest me the natural or alternative ways to beat depression without taking any antidepressants? I suffer from clinical depression yet never tried antidepressants due to the fear of getting addicted to them. Please suggest me the natural or alternative ways to beat depression without taking any antidepressants?
A. Hi, I felt so when depressed. Later I tried psychotherapists and psychologists and that has really helped me to come out from depression. You need to exercise regularly to keep you fit and healthy. All the best!
Q. I was diagnosed with depression and have taken a whole host of antidepressants. I’m Mark, 29 years old male. I was diagnosed with depression and have taken a whole host of antidepressants. My eyes are extremely blurry, I’m worrying about that. Does this side effect go away with time, or is it permanent while on medications?
A. Mark, you really need to consult your doctor. I hope you're not relying totally on the Internet for medical advice. Side effects are common with most drugs, and some are more tolerable than others. "Extremely blurry" eyes seems like it could affect your driving, as cbellh47 wrote, but many other things as well.
Sometimes it does take many, many attempts to discover an anti-depressant or a combination of more than one to achieve a better mood balance. We're all chemically different and react to drugs differently. There's many options and I had to endure years of experimentation before I was satisfied, but I now have the rest of my life to appreciate what I went through.
I also used the help of different doctors and psychiatrists, as well as self-learning. If your doctor doesn't seem to be beneficial, consider asking him/her to recommend a specialist. New treatments come to light regularly and not all docotrs are wise to them.
Just yesterday (01.20.09) a new, control
More discussions about antidepressantSometimes it does take many, many attempts to discover an anti-depressant or a combination of more than one to achieve a better mood balance. We're all chemically different and react to drugs differently. There's many options and I had to endure years of experimentation before I was satisfied, but I now have the rest of my life to appreciate what I went through.
I also used the help of different doctors and psychiatrists, as well as self-learning. If your doctor doesn't seem to be beneficial, consider asking him/her to recommend a specialist. New treatments come to light regularly and not all docotrs are wise to them.
Just yesterday (01.20.09) a new, control
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