Table 2.
Common antidepressants and usual psychiatric dosages
| Class | Agent | Proposed antidepressant mechanism | Usual daily &;dosage (mg)* |
|---|---|---|---|
| TCAs | |||
| Tertiary amine | Amitriptyline | NE and 5-HT reuptake inhibition | 75–300 |
| Imipramine | NE and 5-HT reuptake inhibition | 75–300 | |
| Doxepin | NE and 5-HT reuptake inhibition | 75–300 | |
| Trimipramine | NE and 5-HT reuptake inhibition | 75–300 | |
| Clomipramine | Mixed action | 75–300 | |
| Secondary amine | Nortriptyline | NE reuptake inhibition | 40–200 |
| Desipramine | NE reuptake inhibition | 75–300 | |
| SSRIs | Citalopram | 5-HT reuptake inhibition | 20–60 |
| Escitalopram | 5-HT reuptake inhibition | 10–20 | |
| Fluoxetine | 5-HT reuptake inhibition | 10–40 | |
| Paroxetine | 5-HT reuptake inhibition | 20–50 | |
| Sertraline | 5-HT reuptake inhibition | 50–150 | |
| Other newer antidepressants | Bupropion | Dopamine reuptake inhibition | 200–400 |
| Duloxetine | NE and 5-HT reuptake inhibition | 20–60 | |
| Nefazodone | Pre- and postsynaptic activity | 300–600 | |
| Mirtazapine | Pre- and postsynaptic activity | 15–30 | |
| Trazodone | Mixed action | 150–600 | |
| Venlafaxine | NE and 5-HT reuptake inhibition | 150–375 |
TCAs, tricyclic antidepressants; SSRIs, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors; NE, norepinephrine; 5-HT, 5-hydroxytryptamine.
*Dosage ranges for adults in good health not taking confounding medications; geriatric dosages may be required.
Adapted from Rush AJ. Mood disorders: treatment of depression. In: Sadock BJ, Sadock VA. Kaplan and Sadock’s comprehensive textbook of psychiatry, 8th edn. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, 2005:1652–61.