Serotonin Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRIs)

Psychiatric Drug Introduction

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

Overview

• Drugs
  • venlafaxine
  • duloxetine
• Mechanism
  • inhibit 5-HT and NE reuptake
    • duloxetine has > blockade on NE
    • serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs)
      • leads to increased descending inhibition of pain signals 
• Clinical use
  • depression
  • generalized anxiety disorder
    • venlafaxine
  • diabetic peripheral neuropathy
    • duloxetine 
• Toxicity
  • MC is ↑ BP, stimulant effects 
    • due to ↑ in NE
  • sedation
  • nausea