A large review published in The Lancet and reported by PsyPost found substantial differences among antidepressants in weight, heart rate, blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, and liver-enzyme changes. These effects can influence a person’s health, quality of life, and ability to stay on a medication.

Patients should also be informed about serious adverse effects, including akathisia, that are not as easy to see or measure.

Careful prescribing should begin before the first prescription is written. A clinician should review the patient’s medical history, current medications, and possible drug interactions. When appropriate, metabolism and pharmacogenetic testing can provide useful information about how a patient may process certain antidepressants. That information can help guide medication selection and dosing.

Testing is not a guarantee that a medication will work or be well tolerated. However, it is one more way to improve patient safety and prescribing practices. MISSD supports honest disclosure and careful monitoring whenever medications are started, changed, or stopped. Patients and families deserve complete information.

Read PsyPost’s coverage at: Antidepressants show wide variation in physical side effects