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Strategies for managing sexual dysfunction induced by antidepressant medication
Matthew J Taylor1, Lisa Rudkin, Philippa Bullemor-Day
1Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK. matthew.j.taylor@kcl.ac.uk.
The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
|June 4, 2013
Summary
Antidepressant-induced sexual dysfunction can be managed. For men, phosphodiesterase inhibitors like sildenafil and tadalafil show effectiveness. For women, bupropion may be a promising option.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Psychiatry
- Sexual Health
Background:
- Sexual dysfunction is a common side effect of antidepressant medications.
- These side effects can negatively impact quality of life and treatment adherence.
- Various management strategies exist, including behavioral, psychological, and pharmacological approaches.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of management strategies for antidepressant-induced sexual dysfunction.
- To assess the adverse effects and acceptability of these interventions.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) identified through comprehensive database searches (Cochrane, EMBASE, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL).
- Included RCTs compared management strategies against placebo or alternative treatments.
- Data extraction and quality assessment were performed independently by two authors.
Main Results:
- Twenty-three trials involving 1886 participants were included.
- In men, sildenafil and tadalafil improved erectile function compared to placebo.
- Bupropion at higher doses showed potential benefit for women, while other augmentation strategies were not significantly effective.
Conclusions:
- Evidence for managing antidepressant-induced sexual dysfunction is limited but suggests specific pharmacological interventions.
- Sildenafil or tadalafil are effective for men with erectile dysfunction.
- Bupropion appears most promising for women, though further research is needed.
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