Huge difference between side effects of different antidepressant drugs, study reveals

The side effects of different antidepressants have been ranked - revealing a huge difference between drugs.

Researchers looked at the impact medications had on patients in the first eight weeks of starting treatment.

It revealed individuals prescribed certain antidepressants may gain up to 2kg in weight, vary heart rate by as much as 21 beats every minute or have changes in blood pressure.

“Antidepressants are among the most widely used medicines in the world. While many people benefit from them, these drugs are not identical – some can lead to meaningful changes in weight, heart rate, and blood pressure in a relatively short period,” said senior author of the study Dr Toby Pillinger, an academic clinical lecturer at King’s IoPPN, a consultant psychiatrist.

Led by experts from King’s College London’s Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN), the team analysed data from 58,534 participants across over 150 studies, comparing 30 antidepressants against a dummy drug, known as a placebo.

Researchers said that the findings, which have been published in The Lancet, should “empower” patients but urged them to speak with a medic if they have any concerns.

Study author Andrea Cipriani, professor of psychiatry at the University of Oxford, added: “Most clinical decisions – especially in mental health – are still made by physicians with little input from patients.

“Our results emphasise the importance of shared decision making, the collaborative process through which patients are supported by the clinicians to reach a decision about their treatment, bringing together their preferences, personal circumstances, goals, values and beliefs.

“This should be the way forward in the NHS and globally.”

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Source: The Independent, 22 October 2025

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