Serotonin reuptake inhibitors, selective interaction with other drugs

A growing number of drugs are used that affect the many neurotransmitters in the brain benzodiazepines and others act on GABAergic transmission antidepressants, such as monoamine oxidase inhibitors and tricyclic antidepressants, are thought to increase the concentration of transmitter amines in the brain and so elevate mood—these will also act at peripheral nerve terminals, so interactions with them are a combination of peripheral and central actions. Levodopa (L-dopa) increases central as well as peripheral dopamine, and the newer class of psychoactive drugs, the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) of which the ubiquitous fluoxetine (Prozac) is best known, act in a similar way on serotonergic pathways. 

Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (eg, tranylcypromine, phenelzine) are a group of older antidepressants that are occasionally used for resistant depression. They can cause severe hypertensive reactions when interacting foods or drugs are taken (see Chapter 9 Adrenoceptor-Activating Other Sympathomimetic Drugs) and they can interact with the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). 

Aspirin produces an antipyretic and anti-inflammatory effect primarily by irreversibly inhibiting cyclooxygenase (thus having similar effects to NSAIDs). It possesses an antiplatelet effect that may have additive effect with other drugs with a similar effect (e.g, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) and those which affect other aspects of blood clotting. The risk of interactions and adverse effects are reduced by using a lower dose (e.g. 75 mg) fortunately, a full antiplatelet effect is seen at this dose. This is considered in Part 1, Cardiovascular Drugs. 

MAOI and SSRI are acronyms for two types of antidepression medication. MAOI stands for monoamine oxidase inhibitor. MAOIs must be prescribed and used with caution because they tend to dangerously interact with other types of drugs.Today, other forms of antidepressants are usually prescribed for depression patients first. If those medicines do not work, MAOIs are sometimes used with caution. People taking MAOIs have to restrict their diets and watch what other drugs and medicines they take in order to prevent interactions. SSRI, an antidepressant that is more commonly used, stands for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor.They are generally able to be tolerated by more people and can be used for more minor depressive illnesses. 

The selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the first-line treatment of depression in the elderly. Compared with tricyciic antidepressants (TCAs), they are much safer in overdose and, for the most part, their side-effects are better tolerated. The antidepressants that have been shown, in controlled studies, to be effective in geriatric major depression are the SSRIs fluoxetine, paroxetine, and sertraline, the TCAs clomipramine and nortriptyline, and the serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRi) venlafaxine. Given that most antidepressants are effective in the elderly, the choice of drug is based on its side-effect profile and its potential to interact with other medications. 

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