Key Takeaways

From the Authors As published in the article
  1. Side effects of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), the most commonly used antidepressants, are usually underreported in clinical trials.
  2. The common side effects of SSRIs reported were flatulence, somnolence, memory impairment, decreased concentration, yawning, fatigue, dry mouth, weight gain, light headedness, and sweating.
  3. Psychiatrists and other medical professionals prescribing SSRIs should be aware of the side effect profiles, and patients should be educated accordingly so that morbidity and treatment discontinuation can be reduced.
Extended Takeaways
  1. 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.
  2. Sertraline was the only SSRI linked to a significant between-group difference in appetite, with decreased appetite occurring more often in sertraline-treated patients (χ2 = 6.136, P = .047).
  3. The study compared largely similar groups, with no significant statistical difference in age, sex, or duration of SSRI administration across sertraline, escitalopram, and fluoxetine, which supports interpreting the observed side effect differences as drug-specific signals within this naturalistic sample.
  4. Sexual adverse effects were frequent and included reduced libido, anorgasmia, poor satisfaction with sexual life, delayed ejaculation, and erectile dysfunction, reinforcing the need for routine, direct questioning because these effects are often underreported yet closely tied to adherence.
  5. Sleep-related adverse effects were bidirectional in routine practice, with both somnolence and insomnia reported, so clinicians should assess not only daytime sedation but also nighttime sleep disruption when following patients on SSRIs.
  6. Rare but potentially practice-relevant patient-reported events still emerged outside standard checklists, including apathy and hair loss with sertraline and shortness of breath with escitalopram, highlighting the value of open-ended adverse-effect review in addition to structured instruments.
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Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc. (PPP) makes no warranties about the accuracy or completeness of any information published in The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry or other PPP materials, and disclaims liability for any use or non-use of that information. Clinicians should not rely solely on these materials and should exercise their own professional judgment when making patient care decisions on an individualized basis.

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