Original Research Prim Care Companion CNS Disord July 2021

Side Effect Profiles of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors: A Cross-Sectional Study in a Naturalistic Setting

PCC CNS Disord 2021;23(4):10.4088/PCC.20m02747

Full Article Read the complete peer-reviewed article in Prim Care Companion CNS Disord. Clinical Summary Patients often stay on SSRIs for long periods, yet the adverse effects captured in clinical trials can miss what shows up in routine practice and what drives nonadherence. This study gives a real-world look at patient-reported side effects with sertraline, escitalopram, and fluoxetine, highlighting which problems were most common and where between-drug differences emerged. FAQ What side effects were most commonly reported with SSRIs in this real-world outpatient study?

Key Takeaways In this outpatient sample, escitalopram was associated with significantly higher rates of headache (χ2 = 6.522, P = .038), pruritus (χ2 = 9.910, P = .007), memory impairment (χ2 = 6.324, P = .042), decreased concentration (χ2 = 8.074, P = .018), and dizziness (χ2 = 10.162, P = .006) than the other SSRIs studied. Clinical Guide How should clinicians systematically assess common side effects in adult outpatients taking SSRI monotherapy? Clinical Guide How can clinicians use this study's side effect differences to review or select sertraline, escitalopram, or fluoxetine for adult outpatients? Clinical Guide How should clinicians systematically assess side effects in adult psychiatric outpatients taking SSRI monotherapy? Clinical Guide How should clinicians target side effect monitoring when prescribing escitalopram or sertraline?