New antidepressants have become available for clinical use in the 1990s. Before this
decade, the drugs available to treat depression consisted essentially of monoamine
oxidase inhibitors, tricyclic antidepressants, and lithium. Following the introduction of
SSRIs, the options have expanded and now include SSRIs nefazodone, venlafaxine,
mirtazapine, reboxetine, tianeptine. Newer antidepressants possess a variety of
pharmacological characteristics that are relevant to the choice of an antidepressant for
clinical use. This review summarizes some of the major pharmacological characteristics
among the drugs.
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