Antidepressants pharmacology

Abstract

Depression is complexly psychiatric condition, and in order to explain it there are a variety of neurochemical theories, and for which a corresponding variety of different types of drugs are used in treatment. Although there is intensive research in this field, theories that try to explain the mechanism of depression are still hypothesis waiting to be proven. It is a field in which therapeutic empiricism has led to way, with mechanistic understanding tending to lag behind. Difficulties are that animal models cannot address the mood change that defines the human condition. This paper presents the drugs used in current clinical practice, by giving the main information about their mechanisms of action, pharmacokinetic characteristics, indications, contra-indications, side effects and interactions with the other drugs.

Depresija je kompleksno psihijatrijsko stanje, za čije objašnjenje je postavljeno nekoliko neurohemijskih teorija, i u čijem se lečenju primenjuje veliki broj različitih lekova. I pored intenzivnih istraživanja, teorije koje pokušavaju da objasne mehanizam nastanka depresije su još uvek samo hipoteze koje čekaju da budu dokazane. To je područje u kojem prednjači terapijski empirizam, a mehanističko shvatanje zaostaje. Poteškoće leže u tome što se na životinjskim modelima ne mogu ispitivati promene raspoloženja koje karakterišu depresiju kod ljudi. Ovaj rad prikazuje lekove koji se koriste u savremenoj terapiji depresija dajući osnovne informacije o njihovim mehanizmima dejstva, farmakokinetičkim karakteristikama, indikacijama, kontraindikacijama, neželjenim efektima i interakcijama sa drugim lekovima.