Deprax: What Is It Used For And What Are Its Side Effects?

Deprax is a second generation antidepressant medication. Its active ingredient is trazodone and is used to treat chronic depression, insomnia and anxiety states. Thus, although the advantage of this psychotropic drug is undoubtedly in its more or less rapid action, we cannot leave aside the side effects that, as always, must be taken into account.

Trazodone (whose trade name is Deprax) has been with us for nearly 60 years. It was discovered and commercially developed in Italy in 1961, when trying to find another therapeutic alternative, another so-called second-generation drug that acts as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). The result was this capsule, usually pink, as prescribed until not too long ago.

The manufacturer usually points out its main benefit in the package insert: its effectiveness during the first week of administration. Furthermore, there is another fact that many patients were looking for at the same time, namely, the use of an antidepressant drug that does not favor weight gain. On the other hand, these supposed virtues are worth mentioning one more that made Deprax one of the best-selling drugs in the 70s and 80s: it was one of the most economical.

However, something that became evident in those early years was one of its main side effects: orthostatic hypotension (a drop in pressure when a person stands up). Little by little, trazodone was found to be much more effective and safer at lower doses. This adjustment allowed us to continue to evolve in the treatment of various conditions until today.

Deprax, how does it work and what is it administered for?

Something neurologists and psychiatrists tell us is that the brain is much more complicated than we think. To date, we still don’t know how antidepressants actually work, and it’s not always possible to predict which type of medication is best for each patient. So Deprax, despite being in our market for nearly six decades, continues to have supporters and critics. Some people warn about its often unpredictable side effects. However, there is no lack of studies that reveal its great effectiveness in different disorders.

Now let’s see under what clinical conditions Deprax is usually prescribed.

• Clinical depression with or without anxiety.
• Chronic insomnia.
• Excessive worry.
• Fibromyalgia accompanied by serious sleep problems.
• Nightmares and other sleep disorders.
• Schizophrenia.
• Alcoholism.

It should also be noted that Deprax has shown, according to several studies, a great utility in patients with post-traumatic stress. All those people who had insomnia, nightmares, and high trauma-associated anxiety had, on average, good improvement with this medication.

How does Deprax work?

As we have pointed out, Deprax is a second-generation drug, that is, it acts as an antagonist and inhibitor of serotonin reuptake. Now, what differentiates this drug from Prozac, for example, is that we are dealing with a chemical compound from the phenylpiperazine family. This translates to some advantages and other disadvantages. The benefit is that it is a 5-HT receptor inhibitor. This means that its action to treat anxiety and depression is high.

Now what it does is also block alpha-adrenergic receptors and serotonin transport proteins. All of this can lead to a wide range of side effects, albeit minor ones.

Deprax Side Effects

There are patients who take Deprax without noticing any side effects. Other people, on the other hand, tend to have some problem, some change that can usually be due to other conditions (certain illnesses, interaction with other drugs or foods, etc.). So, something that should be taken into account is that this drug is not recommended for people with liver, heart or kidney problems…

Furthermore, it cannot be taken in combination with other sedatives, heart medications, antibiotics, anticoagulants, or even natural medicine such as St. John’s wort. We must follow all medical advice to the letter.

Now let’s see what the main side effects are.

• Fluid retention.
• Constipation or diarrhea.
• Dry mouth.
• Rashes and itchy skin.
• Sweating and trembling.
• Feeling confused, restless…
• Tachycardia.
• Headache.
• Blurred vision.
• Loss of appetite and weight loss.
• Flu-like symptoms.

Currently, we already have newer, safer drugs with fewer side effects. However, options like Deprax are still common in psychiatric practice for a reason: when we have patients with concomitant depression, that is, accompanied by anxiety, insomnia, nightmares and psychological disorders, this medication is one of the most effective.