Mirtazapine: pharmacology in relation to adverse effects.
Mirtazapine is a new antidepressant that falls into the general class of receptor-blocking drugs rather than being an uptake or enzyme inhibitor. It can be described as a noradrenergic and specific serotonergic antidepressant (NaSSA). The unique pharmacology of mirtazapine means that it has a very different side effect profile from the tricyclic antidepressants, producing less alpha 1 adrenergic and muscarinic blockade, and the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and the serotonin-noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), causing much less nausea and sexual dysfunction by virtue of its blockade of 5-HT2 and 5-HT3 receptors.
Nutt
D
D
School of Medical Sciences, University of Bristol, United Kingdom.
D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008803:Mianserin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000078785:Mirtazapine; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin / Q000187:drug effects; D012701:Serotonin / Q000502:physiology; D013569:Synapses / Q000187:drug effects
D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists; D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin; D008803:Mianserin; D012701:Serotonin; D000078785:Mirtazapine