Focus on paroxetine.
This review of paroxetine is based on Medline and PsycLit searches and a manual search of the available research literature. It aims to cover the pharmacology of this frequently prescribed SSRI antidepressant in terms of its indications, efficacy and adverse effects. Overall, paroxetine is a well-tolerated and safe first-line SSRI antidepressant with anxiolytic qualities. It has been found useful in depression, anxiety and other conditions such as obsessive compulsive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. The antidepressant has some advantages over earlier tricyclic medication in terms of a lack of cardiovascular side-effects and relative safety in overdose. Cessation of use, however, is associated with withdrawal or discontinuation symptoms and patients should be counselled as to how these might be avoided. A 3- or 4-week graded withdrawal regimen, perhaps with concomitant fluoxetine to cover serotonergic discontinuation symptoms, may be advisable.
Green
Ben
B
North Cheshire Hospitals NHS Trust, Halton, Cheshire, UK. bengreen@liverpool.ac.uk
D000818:Animals; D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy; D004347:Drug Interactions; D006801:Humans; D017374:Paroxetine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000188:drug therapy; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation; D017374:Paroxetine; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors