Table 2.

Commonly used antidepressant medications

Antidepressant class	Examples	Mode of action	Adverse effects
Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs)	Nortriptyline, amitriptyline, imipramine, dothiepin	Block norepinephrine and serotonin reuptake transporters; also antagonize serotoninergic, histaminergic, adrenergic and cholinergic receptors	Common side effects include dry mouth and constipation; cardiovascular issues can occur; fatal in overdose
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)	Fluoxetine, sertraline, paroxetine, citalopram, escitalopram	Block serotonin reuptake transporters; more selective than TCAs	Common side effects include nausea, sexual dysfunction; lower cardiotoxicity than TCAs (therefore safer in overdose)
Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs)	Venlafaxine, duloxetine	Block norepinephrine and serotonin reuptake transporters; more selective than TCAs	Common side effects similar to SSRIs; also associated with increased blood pressure