Table of Contents

ATYPICAL ANTIDEPRESSANT COMPARISON

Drug   Dose/day   Liver Enzyme Inhibition*   Class   Common Adverse Effects
Fluoxetine
(Prozac®)
10-80mg CYP 2D6 (significant) SSRI Drowsiness
Dizziness
Hypotension,
GI Distress (>30%)
Headache
Dry Mouth
Tremor
Sexual dysfunction 30-50%
Weight gain (with chronic use)
(Fluvoxamine is most sedating SSRI)
Paroxetine
(Paxil®)
10-50mg CYP 2D6 (significant)
Sertraline
(Zoloft®)
25-200mg CYP 2C19 (weak)
Fluvoxamine (Luvox®) 50-300mg CYP 1A2 (significant)
Citalopram (Celexa®) 10-60mg

Weak
(few drug interactions

Nefazodone (Serzone®) 100-600mg
in 2 doses
CPY 3A4** (significant) SARI

As per SSRI except 
Sexual dysfunction 10%  
Minimal weight gain or tremor

Venlafaxine (Effexor®) 37.5-375mg Weak
(few drug interactions)
SNRI As per SSRI except
Sexual dysfunction10-30% 
Sweating Minimal weight gain or tremor
Bupropion SR (Wellbutrin SR®) 150-300mg
in 2 doses
CYP 2D6
(moderate)
NDRI Dizziness, Insomnia, GI distress, Constipation, Dry mouth, Tremor, Headache, Sexual Dysfunction 10% (May promote weight loss)

Mirtazapine  (Remeron®)

 

15-45mg Weak
(few drug interactions)
NaSSA Sedation (>30%) 
Dry Mouth, Constipation, 
Weight gain (>4kg in 15% of patients) 
(Less nausea, sexual dysfunction and sweating compared to SSRIs)

SSRI = selective serononin reuptake inhibitor; SARI = serotonin 2 antagonist/reuptake inhibitor;
SNRI = serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor; NDRI = norepinephrine dopamine reuptake inhibitor;
NaSSA = noradrenergic/specific serotonergic antidepressant
*Cytochrome p450 isoenzymes inhibited by drug
**multiple drug interactions via CYP 3A4 including grapefruit juice