Sexual side effects caused by antidepressants are completely
recognized, but this represents a practical problem of managing
to physicians. Erectile dysfunction, diminished libido and
delayed/attenuated or absent orgasm (dysorgasmia or anorgasmia)
are the most common sexual side effects reported because of
antidepressant treatment.
However, sexual side effects caused by antidepressants are also
a very challenge to clinicians, since they have to distinguish
between sexual dysfunction (SD) associated with depression,
treatment-emergent SD and pre-existing SD exacerbated by
treatment.
Making the difference between these situations is quite
important, since treatment strategies are not the same for the
above mentioned SDs. Sexual dysfunction associated with
depression may be treated raising the antidepressant dose,
however, this would be particularly inappropriate for a
treatment-emergent SD, in which case the appropriate thing is to
lower the dose.
For managing appropriately antidepressant-induced sexual
dysfunction, experts recommend that clinicians may attempt to
alleviate the sexual side effects of a drug though a reduction
of the dose and/or a change to an alternative therapy that may
be less likely to cause sexual side effects. These strategies
are more likely to be used in patients who are not responding
fully to treatment and also risk sacrificing the therapeutic
benefit of treatment.
Nonpharmacologic interventions are also recommended by experts.
Behavioral and cognitive-behavioral techniques employed by sex
therapists are the most common, although there are no studies
evaluating their success in patients taking antidepressants.
There exist a number of medications quite useful in the
treatment of sexual dysfunction associated with antidepressants.
Under experts' opinion, the most common medications for
antidepressant-induced sexual dysfunction fall into three
categories:
Dopaminergic agents, such as amantadine and pramipexole.
a2-adrenergic receptor antagonists such as yohimbine.
Serotonin 5-HT2 or 5-HT3 receptor antagonists, including
granisetron, nefazodone and cyproheptadine.
Article written by Hector Milla, editor of ::
DepressionsTreatments.com :: visit for
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Article written by Hector Milla, editor of ::
DepressionsTreatments.com :: visit for
Depression">http://www.depressionstreatments.com/">Depression Treatments
Information at
http://www.depressionstreatments.com/ , plus a free online
guide for
Ang
er Management may be fou
