Why Choose Different SSRI Drugs?

Psychiatrists prescribe SSRIs, or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, for a variety of conditions, most commonly depression and anxiety. Often, finding the right treatment for a particular patient will require experimenting with a variety of SSRIs.

Types

• There are many different types of SSRIs, and each has a unique set of effects and side effects. Commonly prescribed drugs include paroxetine (Paxil), fluoxetine (Prozac) and sertraline (Zoloft). While paroxetine is used extensively for anxiety, drugs such as fluoxetine are most effective in combating clinical depression. Fluoxetine can allegedly increase suicide rates, while drugs such as sertraline have a high incidence of sexual dysfunction.

Considerations

• Although they are approved by the FDA, much is still unknown about the effects of SSRIs on the body and brain. The basic theory is that they slow the reuptake of serotonin, a mood-regulating brain chemical; increased serotonin concentration is thought to alleviate depression.

Individual Response

• For a variety of reasons, many unknown, SSRIs can affect different people differently. Trial and error is often the only way to get the treatment right. Doctors will change treatment strategies based on complicating disorders--for instance, if anxiety and depression occur together--as well as to avoid debilitating side effects.

Benefits

• Exposing a patient to a variety of different medications is the most effective way to find the one best suited to their particular symptoms. Many patients experiment with two or more SSRIs before finding the one most effective for them, and doctors often encourage patients to remain optimistic, emphasizing that it is perfectly normal to go through a variety of options.

Warning

• Doctors involved in prescribing SSRIs must be aware of all other drugs the patient is taking. SSRIs have a high potential for dangerous interactions with other drugs, both pharmaceutical and illicit.