Atypical Antidepressants

Psychiatric Drug Introduction

  • Psychiatric medications can be broken down into the following categories
    • Antidepressants
    • Antipsychotics
    • Bipolar Medications
  • Anxiolytics

Overview

  • Buproprion 
    • mechanism
      • ↑ NE and dopamine via unknown mechanism
    • other uses
      • smoking cessation
    • toxicity
      • stimulant effects (tachycardia, insomnia)
      • headache
      • seizure in bulimic patients
      • no sexual side effects
  • Mirtazapine
    • mechanism
      • α2 receptor antagonist
        • ↑ release of NE and serotonin
      • 5-HT2 and 5-HT3 receptor antagonist
    • other uses
      • depression + anorexia nervosa
        • due to weight gain side effect
    • toxicity
      • sedation, ↑ appetite, weight gain, dry mouth
  • Amoxapine
    • mechanism
      • antagonism of dopamine receptor
    • toxicity
      • EPS, seizures, cardiotoxicity
  • Maprotiline
    • mechanism
      • blocks NE reuptake
    • toxicity
      • sedation, orthostatic hypotension, seizures, cardiotoxicity
  • Trazodone 
    • mechanism
      • primarily inhibits serotonin reuptake
    • other uses
      • causes sedation
        • therefore used for insomnia
      • high doses are needed for antidepressant effects
    • toxicity
      • sedation, nausea, priapism in adolescent boys, orthostatic hypotension