Effects of antidepressant drugs on sexual function

Adequate sexual expression is an essential part of human relationships, enhancing quality of life and providing a sense of physical, psychological and social well-being. Unfortunately, depression is associated with impairments of sexual function and satisfaction. These problems can worsen a quality of life that is already reduced by the effects of depressive illness. The existing antidepressant drugs are far from ideal, most having adverse effects on sexual function. Unfortunately, the exact incidence of sexual dysfunction during treatment with many antidepressants is not known. Disturbances of sexual interest and performance will only be detected in a reliable fashion when systematic enquiries are made during the course of the standard clinical interview. Growing awareness of the adverse effects of many antidepressants on sexual function has led to some re-evaluation of the earlier claims for the good tolerability of many of the newer drugs. There is a clear need for further well-designed controlled studies of the effects of antidepressants on sexual function, so that this aspect of the tolerability of differing drugs can be assessed more reliably. (IntJ Psych Clin Pract 1997; 1: 47-58).