Use:
Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor. Major depressive disorder:
Effexor: Adults, 75 mg/day in 2 or 3 divided doses with food. It may be desirable
to start some patients at 37.5 mg/day for 4-7 days to allow new patients to
adjust to the medication before increasing to 75 mg/day. After a few weeks,
if necessary, increase gradually to 150 mg/day. If needed, a further increase
may be made up to 225 mg/day (maximum dose for moderately depressed outpatients).
Increments of up to 75 mg/day should be made at intervals of no less than 4
days. More severely depressed inpatients may require higher doses between 350-0375
mg/day (maximum) in 3 divided doses. Effexor XR: 75 mg once daily with food,
either in the morning or evening. It may be desirable to start some patients
at 37.5 mg/day for 4-7 days to allow new patients to adjust to the medication
before increasing to 75 mg/day. Depending on tolerability and the need for further
clinical effect, dosage should be increased by up to 75 mg/day to a maximum
of 225 mg/day as a single dose (moderately depressed outpatients). Make dose
increments at intervals of about 2 weeks or more, but not < 4 days. Assess
patients periodically to determine the need for maintenance treatment and the
appropriate dose for such treatment.
Effexor XR, venlafaxine HCl, an antidepressant.
effexor xr withdrawl | effexor xr | antidepressant effexor xr | does effexor xr make you gain weight | effexor xr 75mg side effects | Stanford.edu
Hi there,
Anyone care to comment on the use of Effexor? Anyone
"happy" with it? I am currently on for anxiety. I have tried Effexor
XR (too much anxiety).
side effects of effexor xr | effexor xr 75mg | effexor xr dosage | search effexor xr in google
Pharmacology - Antidepressant
Venlafaxine is a phenethylamine bicyclic derivative, chemically unrelated to tricyclic, tetracyclic or other available antidepressant agents.
The mechanism of venlafaxine's antidepressant action in humans is believed to be associated with its potentiation of neurotransmitter activity in the CNS. Preclinical studies have shown that venlafaxine and its major metabolite, O-desmethylvenlafaxine (ODV), are potent inhibitors of neuronal serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake and weak inhibitors of dopamine reuptake.
Venlafaxine and ODV have no significant affinity for muscarinic, histaminergic, or alpha1-adrenergic receptors in vitro. Pharmacologic activity at these receptors is hypothesized to be associated with the various anticholinergic, sedative, and cardiovascular effects seen with other psychotropic drugs. Venlafaxine and ODV do not possess monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitory activity.
Dosage
Adults:
The recommended treatment dose is 75 mg per day, administered in two or three
divided doses, taken with food. If the expected clinical improvement does not
occur after a few weeks, a gradual dose increase to 150 mg/day may be considered.
If needed, the dose may be further increased up to 225 mg/day. Increments of
up to 75 mg/day should be made at intervals of no less than 4 days. In outpatient
settings there was no evidence of the usefulness of doses greater than 225 mg/day
for moderately depressed patients. More severely depressed inpatients have responded
to higher doses, between 350 and 375 mg/day, given in 3 divided doses.
Maximum:
The maximum dose recommended is 375 mg per day.
Discontinuing Venlafaxine:
When venlafaxine therapy that has been administered for more than 1 week is
stopped, it is generally recommended that the dose be tapered gradually to minimize
the risk of discontinuation symptoms. Patients who have received venlafaxine
for 6 weeks or more should have their dose tapered gradually over a 2-week period.
Patients With Hepatic Impairment:
Given the decrease in clearance and increase in elimination half-life for both
venlafaxine and ODV that is observed in patients with hepatic cirrhosis compared
to normal subjects (see Pharmacology), it is recommended that the total daily
dose be reduced by about 50% in patients with moderate hepatic impairment. Since
there was much individual variability in clearance between patients with cirrhosis,
it may be necessary to reduce the dose even more than 50%, and individualization
of dosing may be desirable in some patients.
Geriatrics:
No dose adjustment is recommended for elderly patients on the basis of their
age. As with any antidepressant, however, caution should be exercised in treating
the elderly. When individualizing the dosage, extra care should be taken when
increasing the dose.