Pharmacology of antidepressants: focus on nefazodone

The past decade has witnessed the introduction of a diverse group of antidepressants from a variety of distinct chemical classes, each with their own specificity for neurochemical transmitters, receptors, and cytochrome P450 isozymes. This review focuses on nefazodone, a distinct antidepressant with efficacy for the treatment of depression with depression-related anxiety symptoms, an established tolerability profile, and a multimodal mechanism of action. Relevant pharmacologic and pharmacodynamic effects are summarized that support nefazodone as an attractive choice for both the short- and long-term treatment of depression.