WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - A new study found that certain first-line antidepressant medications cause weight gain.
The project, led by the research team from the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, used electronic health record prescription data of 183,118 adults aged 18 to 80 years from eight health systems in the U.S. between 2010 and 2019.
The participants were new to one of the eight first-line anti-depressant medications - sertraline, citalopram, escitalopram, fluoxetine, paroxetine, bupropion, duloxetine, and venlafaxine. Their weight was monitored by the researchers at 6, 12 and 24 months after starting anti-depressant medications.
'Although there are several reasons why patients and their clinicians might choose one antidepressant over another, weight gain is an important side effect that often leads to patients stopping their medication,' said senior author Jason Block.
The findings, published in Annals of Internal Medicine, revealed that the participants taking bupropion were 15 to 20 percent less likely to gain a clinically significant weight, compared to those taking sertraline. Weight gain of 5 percent or more was considered as clinically significant.
'Our study found that some antidepressants, like bupropion, are associated with less weight gain than others. Patients and their clinicians could consider weight gain as one reason for choosing a medication that best fits their needs,' said Block.
Further, the research team found that users of escitalopram and paroxetine were each at an approximately 15 percent higher risk of significant weight gain compared to sertraline users in the first six months.
'Patients and their clinicians often have several options when starting an antidepressant for the first time. This study provides important real-world evidence regarding the amount of weight gain that should be expected after starting some of the most common antidepressants. Clinicians and patients can use this information, among other factors, to help decide on the right choice for them,' lead author Joshua Petimar commented.
Copyright(c) 2024 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX
© 2024 AFX News
