Effexor is a prescription medication used to treat depression and various forms of anxiety including panic attacks and social anxiety. Effexor is the brand name for the medication venlafaxine and was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 1993. Effexor works by increasing the overall availability of the neurotransmitters serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine. Effexor has been studied extensively in clinical trials and post marketing research, and has shown to be relatively safe with minor side effects. However, Effexor has also shown some more serious side effects and problems. The more serious side effects are either dose dependent or limited to specific patient populations.
Increased Risk of Suicide
Effexor and all other antidepressants come with a black-box warning informing patients of an increased risk of suicide. According to Drugs.com, the risk of suicide in patients is highest in patients 24 years of age and younger. The risk of suicide may come from increased suicidal thinking and suicidal behavior, such as varying degrees of self-harm. Younger patients should have the increased risk of suicide fully explained to them in order to weigh out the risks and the clinical need for antidepressants. Younger patients should also work with a mental health counselor for the first several months in order to detect any changes in thinking and behavior.
Serotonin Syndrome
Drugs.com also states that patients taking Effexor may experience a serious and life-threatening condition called serotonin syndrome. Serotonin syndrome is an acute toxic overdose of serotonin activity within the brain. Mayo Clinic states that serotonin syndrome usually occurs within a few hours of taking a new medication or increasing the dose of an existing medication. Some of the less severe symptoms include agitation, confusion, rapid heart rate, loss of coordination, heavy sweating, perspiration, diarrhea, headache and shivering. If the condition worsens and becomes life-threatening, the patient may experience a high fever, seizures, irregular heartbeat and may lose consciousness. The symptoms usually subside within hours after discontinuing the medication that caused the condition.
Risk to Newborns
In 2004, Wyeth, the pharmaceutical company that makes Effexor, issued a revised updated prescribing label that included the adverse health risks involving pregnant women, newborns and breastfeeding mothers. The label states that neonates exposed to Effexor during the third trimester developed complications requiring prolonged hospitalization including respiratory support and tube feeding. Other newborn complications include bluish skin, breathing obstruction, seizures, vomiting, tremor, motor disturbances and excessive crying. The label states that in some cases, the symptoms are consistent with serotonin syndrome. Breastfeeding mothers taking Effexor are also warned of the risks to the child because the medication is excreted into the milk. The clinical need for antidepressants should be weighed with the potential risks to the child.
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