Researchers have analysed the weight gain trends associated with drugs to treat depression and found that bupropion causes the least weight gain
That anti-depressants cause weight gain is well known but researchers from the Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health have now quantified the extent of weight loss commonly used medications can trigger.
They have come to the conclusion that Escitalopram, paroxetine, and duloxetine were associated with 10% to 15% higher risk for gaining at least 5% of baseline weight, whereas bupropion was associated with 15% reduced risk. The findings were published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Electronic health record (EHR) data from 2010 to 2019 across 8 U.S. health systems was used for the analysis. Escitalopram is marketed as Lexapro and Cipralex, paroxetine is marketed as Paxil and duloxetine is marketed as Cymbalta. Bupropion is marketed as Welllbutrin or Zyban.
“Small differences in mean weight change were found between 8 first-line antidepressants, with bupropion consistently showing the least weight gain, although adherence to medications over follow-up was low. Clinicians could consider potential weight gain when initiating antidepressant treatment,” the researchers wrote. A total of 1,83,000 US patients who had been put on these medicines for the first time, were followed for 24 months.
Recent research suggests that there are six different types of depression and treatment choices should be mindful of these categories.
Escitalopram is one of the most widely used antidepressants in India. “About half of the patients with diagnoses other than depression were prescribed antidepressants. SSRIs were the most common group and escitalopram was the most common medication used. Concomitant use of two antidepressants was infrequent. Hypnotic and sedatives were frequently prescribed along with antidepressants,” reads an analysis published in the Indian Journal of Medical Research in 2016.
SSRis are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors – a class of antidepressants widely used the world over.
