Antidepressant Medications
Name
Indication, starting dose,
target symptoms, and
affected
neurotransmitters
Half-life (T1/2)
CYP450 enzyme
Notes/Notable side effects/Precautions
SSRIs
Citalopram
(Celexa)
Indication:
-Depression
-OCD
-Panic Disorder
Starting dose:
20 mg/day, increase by
20 mg/day after 1 or
more weeks, mx 40
mg/day, single-dose,
morning or evening
Target symptoms:
 -Depressed Mood
-Anxiety
-Panic attacks, avoidant
behavior,reexperiencing
,
Hyperarousal
-Sleep disturbance, both
Insomnia and
hypersomnia
Affected
neurotransmitters:
Serotonin
Half-life:
Parent drug has
23-45 hour halflife.
CYP450 enzyme:
Weak inhibitor of
CYP450 2D6,
metabolized by
CYP450 3A4 and
2C19.
Notable Side effects:
-Sexual dysfunction
- gastrointestinal,
-mostly CNS,
-activation,
-sweating,
 -bruising and rare bleeding
-rare hyponatremia
-SIADH
Precautions
-Use with caution in patient with history of seizures
- bipolar disorder unless treated with concomitant moodstabilizing agent.
-When treating children carefully weigh the risks and benefits of
pharmacological treatment against the risks and benefits on non
treatment with antidepressants. Warn about possible side effects
and to report immediately. Monitor for suicidal ideations
-Monitor patients for activation of suicidal ideation, especially
children and adolescents