5±2 h (parent compound for immediate release preparations), 15±6 h (parent compound for extended-release preparations), 11±2 h (active metabolite)[2][6]
Common side effects include loss of appetite, constipation, dry mouth, dizziness, sweating, insomnia, drowsiness and sexual problems.[9] Severe side effects include an increased risk of suicide, mania, and serotonin syndrome.[9]Antidepressant withdrawal syndrome may occur if stopped.[9] There are concerns that use during the later part of pregnancy can harm the baby.[9] How it works is not entirely clear, but it seems to be related to the potentiation of the activity of some neurotransmitters in the brain.[9]
Venlafaxine was approved for medical use in the United States in 1993.[9] It is available as a generic medication.[9] In 2022, it was the 44th most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 13million prescriptions.[12][13]
Venlafaxine has been used off label for the treatment of diabetic neuropathy[15] and migraine prevention.[16] It may work on pain via effects on the opioid receptor.[17] It has also been found to reduce the severity of 'hot flashes' in menopausal women and men on hormonal therapy for the treatment of prostate cancer.[18][19]
Venlafaxine was similar in efficacy to the atypical antidepressant bupropion; however, the remission rate was lower for venlafaxine.[26] In a double-blind study, patients who did not respond to an SSRI were switched to either venlafaxine or another SSRI (citalopram); similar improvement was observed in both groups.[27]
Studies have not established its efficacy for use in pediatric populations.[28] In children and adolescents with depression, venlafaxine increases the risk of suicidal thoughts or attempts.[29][30][31][32][33][34]
Higher doses (e.g., 225 mg and 375 mg per day) of venlafaxine are more effective than lower doses (e.g., 75 mg per day) but also cause more side effects.[35]
Studies have shown that the extended-release is superior to the immediate-release form of venlafaxine.[36]
A 2017 meta-analysis has showed that the efficacy of venlafaxine is not correlated with baseline severity of depression.[36] In other words, regardless of how severe a person's depression is at treatment initiation, the efficacy of venlafaxine remains consistent and is not influenced by the severity of depression at the start of treatment.
A 2014 meta-analysis of 21 clinical trials of venlafaxine for the treatment of depression in adults found that compared to placebo, venlafaxine reduced the risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior.[39]
A study conducted in Finland followed more than 15,000 patients for 3.4 years. Venlafaxine increased suicide risk by 60% (statistically significant), as compared to no treatment. At the same time, fluoxetine (Prozac) halved the suicide risk.[40]
In a study sponsored by Wyeth, which produces and markets venlafaxine, the data on more than 200,000 cases were obtained from the UK general practice research database. At baseline, patients prescribed venlafaxine had a greater number of risk factors for suicide (such as prior suicide attempts) than patients treated with other anti-depressants. The patients taking venlafaxine had a significantly higher risk of suicide than the ones on fluoxetine or citalopram (Celexa). After adjusting for known risk factors, venlafaxine was associated with an increased risk of suicide relative to fluoxetine and dothiepin which was not statistically significant. A statistically significant greater risk for attempted suicide remained after adjustment, but the authors concluded that it could be due to residual confounding.[41]
An analysis of clinical trials by the FDA statisticians showed the incidence of suicidal behaviour among the adults on venlafaxine to be not significantly different from fluoxetine or placebo.[42]
Venlafaxine is contraindicated in children, adolescents, and young adults. In children and adolescents with depression, venlafaxine increases the risk of suicidal thoughts or attempts.[29][30][31][32][33][34]
Serotonin syndrome
The development of a potentially life-threatening serotonin syndrome (also classified as "serotonin toxicity")[43] may occur with venlafaxine treatment, particularly with concomitant use of serotonergic drugs, including but not limited to SSRIs and SNRIs, many hallucinogens such as tryptamines and phenethylamines (e.g., LSD/LSA, DMT, MDMA, mescaline), dextromethorphan (DXM), tramadol, tapentadol, pethidine (meperidine) and triptans and with drugs that impair metabolism of serotonin (including MAOIs).[citation needed] Serotonin syndrome symptoms may include mental status changes (e.g. agitation, hallucinations, coma), autonomic instability (e.g. tachycardia, labile blood pressure, hyperthermia), neuromuscular aberrations (e.g. hyperreflexia, incoordination), or gastrointestinal symptoms (e.g. nausea, vomiting, diarrhea). Venlafaxine-induced serotonin syndrome has also been reported when venlafaxine has been taken in isolation in overdose.[44] An abortive serotonin syndrome state, in which some but not all of the symptoms of the full serotonin syndrome are present, has been reported with venlafaxine at mid-range dosages (150 mg per day).[45] A case of a patient with serotonin syndrome induced by low-dose venlafaxine (37.5 mg per day) has also been reported.[46]
Pregnancy
There are few well-controlled studies of venlafaxine in pregnant women. A study released in May 2010 by the Canadian Medical Association Journal suggests use of venlafaxine doubles the risk of miscarriage.[47][48] Consequently, venlafaxine should only be used during pregnancy if clearly needed.[6] A large case-control study done as part of the National Birth Defects Prevention Study and published in 2012 found a significant association between venlafaxine use during pregnancy and several birth defects including anencephaly, cleft palate, septal heart defects and coarctation of the aorta.[49] Prospective studies have not shown any statistically significant congenital malformations.[50] There have, however, been some reports of self-limiting effects on newborn infants.[51] As with other serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs), these effects are generally short-lived, lasting only 3 to 5 days,[52] and rarely resulting in severe complications.[53]
Bipolar disorder
According to the ISBD Task Force report on antidepressant use in bipolar disorder,[54] during the course of treatment for depression with those suffering from bipolar I and II, venlafaxine "appears to carry a particularly high risk of inducing pathologically elevated states of mood and behavior." Because venlafaxine appears to be more likely than SSRIs and bupropion to induce mania and mixed episodes in these patients, provider discretion is advised through "carefully evaluating individual clinical cases and circumstances."
Liver injury
A rare but serious side effect of venlafaxine is liver injury. It appears to affect both male and female patients with a median age of 44. Cessation of venlafaxine is one of the appropriate measures of management. While the mechanism of venlafaxine-related liver injury remains unclear, findings suggest that it may be related to a CYP2D6 polymorphism.[55]
Overdose
Most patients overdosing with venlafaxine develop only mild symptoms. Plasma venlafaxine concentrations in overdose survivors have ranged from 6 to 24 mg/L, while postmortem blood levels in fatalities are often in the 10–90 mg/L range.[56] Published retrospective studies report that venlafaxine overdosage may be associated with an increased risk of fatal outcome compared to that observed with SSRI antidepressant products, but lower than that for tricyclic antidepressants. Healthcare professionals are advised to prescribe Effexor and Effexor XR in the smallest quantity of capsules consistent with good patient management to reduce the risk of overdose.[57] It is usually reserved as a second-line treatment for depression due to a combination of its superior efficacy to the first-line treatments like fluoxetine, paroxetine and citalopram and greater frequency of side effects like nausea, headache, insomnia, drowsiness, dry mouth, constipation, sexual dysfunction, sweating and nervousness.[24][58]
There is no specific antidote for venlafaxine, and management is generally supportive, providing treatment for the immediate symptoms. Administration of activated charcoal can prevent absorption of the drug. Monitoring of cardiac rhythm and vital signs is indicated. Seizures are managed with benzodiazepines or other anticonvulsants. Forced diuresis, hemodialysis, exchange transfusion, or hemoperfusion are unlikely to be of benefit in hastening the removal of venlafaxine, due to the drug's high volume of distribution.[59]
The higher risk and increased severity of withdrawal symptoms relative to other antidepressants may be related to the short half-life of venlafaxine and its active metabolite.[64] After stopping venlafaxine, the levels of both serotonin and norepinephrine decrease, leading to the hypothesis that the withdrawal symptoms could result from an overly rapid reduction of neurotransmitter levels.[65]
Other
In rare cases, drug-induced akathisia can occur after use in some people.[66]
Venlafaxine should be used with caution in hypertensive patients. Venlafaxine must be discontinued if significant hypertension persists.[67][68][69] It can also have undesirable cardiovascular effects.[70]
Venlafaxine selectively inhibits the serotonin transporter at lower doses, but at a dose of 225 mg per day it additionally blocks the norepinephrine transporter (NET), as measured by the intravenous tyramine pressor test.[81]
Venlafaxine indirectly affects opioid receptors as well as the α2-adrenergic receptor, and was shown to increase pain threshold in mice. These benefits with respect to pain were reversed with naloxone, an opioid antagonist, thus supporting an opioid mechanism.[82][17]
Pharmacokinetics
Venlafaxine is well absorbed, with at least 92% of an oral dose being absorbed into systemic circulation. It is extensively metabolized in the liver via the CYP2D6isoenzyme to desvenlafaxine (O-desmethylvenlafaxine, now marketed as a separate medication named Pristiq[83]), which is just as potent an SNRI as the parent compound, meaning that the differences in metabolism between extensive and poor metabolisers are not clinically important in terms of efficacy. Side effects, however, are reported to be more severe in CYP2D6 poor metabolisers.[84][85] Steady-state concentrations of venlafaxine and its metabolite are attained in the blood within 3 days. Therapeutic effects are usually achieved within 3 to 4 weeks. No accumulation of venlafaxine has been observed during chronic administration in healthy subjects. The primary route of excretion of venlafaxine and its metabolites is via the kidneys.[6] The half-life of venlafaxine is relatively short, so patients are directed to adhere to a strict medication routine, avoiding missing a dose. Even a single missed dose can result in withdrawal symptoms.[86]
Venlafaxine is a substrate of P-glycoprotein (P-gp), which pumps it out of the brain. The gene encoding P-gp, ABCB1, has the SNP rs2032583, with alleles C and T. The majority of people (about 70% of Europeans and 90% of East Asians) have the TT variant.[87][unreliable source?] A 2007 study[88] found that carriers of at least one C allele (variant CC or CT) are 7.72 times more likely than non-carriers to achieve remission after 4 weeks of treatment with amitriptyline, citalopram, paroxetine or venlafaxine (all P-gp substrates). The study included patients with mood disorders other than major depression, such as bipolar II; the ratio is 9.4 if these other disorders are excluded. At the 6-week mark, 75% of C-carriers had remitted, compared to only 38% of non-carriers.[citation needed]
Chemistry
The IUPAC name of venlafaxine is 1-[2-(dimethylamino)-1-(4 methoxyphenyl)ethyl]cyclohexanol, though it is sometimes referred to as (±)-1-[a-[a-(dimethylamino)methyl]-p-methoxybenzyl]cyclohexanol. It consists of two enantiomers present in equal quantities (termed a racemic mixture), both of which have the empirical formula of C17H27NO2. It is usually sold as a mixture of the respective hydrochloridesalts, (R/S)-1-[2-(dimethylamino)-1-(4 methoxyphenyl)ethyl]cyclohexanol hydrochloride, C17H28ClNO2, which is a white to off-white crystalline solid. Venlafaxine is structurally and pharmacologically related to the atypical opioid analgesictramadol, and more distantly to the newly released opioid tapentadol, but not to any of the conventional antidepressant drugs, including tricyclic antidepressants, SSRIs, MAOIs, or RIMAs.[89]
Venlafaxine extended-release is chemically the same as normal venlafaxine. The extended-release (controlled release) version distributes the release of the drug into the gastrointestinal tract over a longer period than normal venlafaxine. This results in a lower peak plasma concentration. Studies have shown that the extended-release formula has a lower incidence of nausea as a side effect, resulting in better compliance.[90]
Interactions
Venlafaxine should be taken with caution when using St John's wort.[91] Venlafaxine may lower the seizure threshold, and coadministration with other drugs that lower the seizure threshold such as bupropion and tramadol should be done with caution and at low doses.[92]
Society and culture
Recreational use
Venlafaxine can be abused as a recreational drug, with damages that can manifest within a month.[93]
Brand names
Venlafaxine was originally marketed as Effexor in most of the world; generic venlafaxine has been available since around 2008 and extended-release venlafaxine has been available since around 2010.[94]
Venlafaxine is sold under many brand names worldwide.[1] In some countries, Effexor is marketed by Viatris after Upjohn was spun off from Pfizer.[95][96]
Venlafaxine is highly toxic to Bacillariophyta and Chlorophyta phytoplankton.[98] Cats are drawn to the smell of venlafaxine and tend to ingest the pills, which is highly toxic to them.[99]
^Dean L (2015). Pratt VM, Scott SA, Pirmohamed M, Esquivel B, Kane MS, Kattman BL, Malheiro AJ (eds.). Venlafaxine Therapy and CYP2D6 Genotype. National Center for Biotechnology Information (US). PMID28520361. Archived from the original on 29 November 2017. Retrieved 28 December 2018.
^"venlafaxine-hydrochloride". The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. Archived from the original on 27 November 2020. Retrieved 3 April 2011.
^Schober CE, Ansani NT (November 2003). "Venlafaxine hydrochloride for the treatment of hot flashes". The Annals of Pharmacotherapy. 37 (11): 1703–1707. doi:10.1345/aph.1C483. PMID14565812. S2CID45334784.
^"Medications". Stanford University School of Medicine, Center for Narcolepsy. 7 February 2003. Archived from the original on 21 August 2007. Retrieved 3 September 2007.
^Ghanizadeh A, Freeman RD, Berk M (March 2013). "Efficacy and adverse effects of venlafaxine in children and adolescents with ADHD: a systematic review of non-controlled and controlled trials". Reviews on Recent Clinical Trials. 8 (1): 2–8. doi:10.2174/1574887111308010002. PMID23157376.
^Pae CU, Lim HK, Ajwani N, Lee C, Patkar AA (June 2007). "Extended-release formulation of venlafaxine in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder". Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics. 7 (6): 603–615. doi:10.1586/14737175.7.6.603. PMID17563244. S2CID25215502.
^Phelps NJ, Cates ME (January 2005). "The role of venlafaxine in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder". The Annals of Pharmacotherapy. 39 (1): 136–140. doi:10.1345/aph.1E362. PMID15585743. S2CID30973410.
^ abCipriani A, Furukawa TA, Salanti G, Geddes JR, Higgins JP, Churchill R, et al. (February 2009). "Comparative efficacy and acceptability of 12 new-generation antidepressants: a multiple-treatments meta-analysis". Lancet. 373 (9665): 746–758. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(09)60046-5. PMID19185342. S2CID35858125.
^Thase ME, Clayton AH, Haight BR, Thompson AH, Modell JG, Johnston JA (October 2006). "A double-blind comparison between bupropion XL and venlafaxine XR: sexual functioning, antidepressant efficacy, and tolerability". Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology. 26 (5): 482–488. doi:10.1097/01.jcp.0000239790.83707.ab. PMID16974189. S2CID276619.
^Lenox-Smith AJ, Jiang Q (May 2008). "Venlafaxine extended release versus citalopram in patients with depression unresponsive to a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor". International Clinical Psychopharmacology. 23 (3): 113–119. doi:10.1097/YIC.0b013e3282f424c2. PMID18408525. S2CID34986490.
^Rudolph RL, Fabre LF, Feighner JP, Rickels K, Entsuah R, Derivan AT (March 1998). "A randomized, placebo-controlled, dose-response trial of venlafaxine hydrochloride in the treatment of major depression". The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. 59 (3): 116–122. doi:10.4088/jcp.v59n0305. PMID9541154.
^ abcThase M, Asami Y, Wajsbrot D, Dorries K, Boucher M, Pappadopulos E (February 2017). "A meta-analysis of the efficacy of venlafaxine extended release 75-225 mg/day for the treatment of major depressive disorder". Current Medical Research and Opinion. 33 (2). Informa UK Limited: 317–326. doi:10.1080/03007995.2016.1255185. PMID27794623. S2CID4394404.
^Taylor D, Paton C, Kapur S, eds. (2012). The Maudsley Prescribing Guidelines in Psychiatry (illustrated ed.). John Wiley & Sons. ISBN978-0-470-97948-8.
^Pan JJ, Shen WW (February 2003). "Serotonin syndrome induced by low-dose venlafaxine". The Annals of Pharmacotherapy. 37 (2): 209–211. doi:10.1345/aph.1C021. PMID12549949.
^Broy P, Bérard A (January 2010). "Gestational exposure to antidepressants and the risk of spontaneous abortion: a review". Current Drug Delivery. 7 (1): 76–92. doi:10.2174/156720110790396508. PMID19863482. S2CID28153571.
^de Moor RA, Mourad L, ter Haar J, Egberts AC (July 2003). "[Withdrawal symptoms in a neonate following exposure to venlafaxine during pregnancy]". Nederlands Tijdschrift voor Geneeskunde. 147 (28): 1370–1372. PMID12892015.
^Ferreira E, Carceller AM, Agogué C, Martin BZ, St-André M, Francoeur D, et al. (January 2007). "Effects of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and venlafaxine during pregnancy in term and preterm neonates". Pediatrics. 119 (1): 52–59. doi:10.1542/peds.2006-2133. PMID17200271. S2CID27443298.
^Moses-Kolko EL, Bogen D, Perel J, Bregar A, Uhl K, Levin B, et al. (May 2005). "Neonatal signs after late in utero exposure to serotonin reuptake inhibitors: literature review and implications for clinical applications". JAMA. 293 (19): 2372–2383. doi:10.1001/jama.293.19.2372. PMID15900008. S2CID30284439.
^Stadlmann S, Portmann S, Tschopp S, Terracciano LM (November 2012). "Venlafaxine-induced cholestatic hepatitis: case report and review of literature". The American Journal of Surgical Pathology. 36 (11). Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health): 1724–1728. doi:10.1097/pas.0b013e31826af296. PMID23073329.
^Baselt R (2008). Disposition of Toxic Drugs and Chemicals in Man (8th ed.). Foster City, CA: Biomedical Publications. pp. 1634–1637. ISBN978-0-9626523-7-0.
^Papp A, Onton JA (December 2018). "Brain Zaps: An Underappreciated Symptom of Antidepressant Discontinuation". The Primary Care Companion for CNS Disorders. 20 (6): 18m02311. doi:10.4088/PCC.18m02311. PMID30605268. S2CID58577252.
^Rizkalla M, Kowalkowski B, Prozialeck WC (February 2020). "Antidepressant Discontinuation Syndrome: A Common but Underappreciated Clinical Problem". The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association. 120 (3): 174–178. doi:10.7556/jaoa.2020.030. PMID32077900.
^Khurana RN, Baudendistel TE (December 2003). "Hypertensive crisis associated with venlafaxine". The American Journal of Medicine. 115 (8): 676–677. doi:10.1016/S0002-9343(03)00472-8. PMID14656626.
^Thase ME (October 1998). "Effects of venlafaxine on blood pressure: a meta-analysis of original data from 3744 depressed patients". The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. 59 (10): 502–508. doi:10.4088/JCP.v59n1002. PMID9818630.
^Johnson EM, Whyte E, Mulsant BH, Pollock BG, Weber E, Begley AE, et al. (September 2006). "Cardiovascular changes associated with venlafaxine in the treatment of late-life depression". The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry. 14 (9): 796–802. doi:10.1097/01.JGP.0000204328.50105.b3. PMID16943176.
^Singh D, Saadabadi A (2022). "Venlafaxine". StatPearls. StatPearls. PMID30570984. Archived from the original on 30 June 2022. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
^Delgado PL, Moreno FA (2000). "Role of norepinephrine in depression". The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. 61 (Suppl 1): 5–12. PMID10703757.[full citation needed]
^Parker G, Blennerhassett J (April 1998). "Withdrawal reactions associated with venlafaxine". The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry. 32 (2): 291–294. doi:10.3109/00048679809062742. PMID9588310. S2CID34824025.
^DeVane CL (2003). "Immediate-release versus controlled-release formulations: pharmacokinetics of newer antidepressants in relation to nausea". The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. 64 (Suppl 18): 14–19. PMID14700450.
^Iliou T, Casta P, Lequeux J, Pochard L, Frauger E, Spadari M, et al. (2019). "Venlafaxine Abuse in a Patient With a History of Methylphenidate Abuse: A Case Report". Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology. 39 (2): 172–174. doi:10.1097/JCP.0000000000001011. PMID30811375. S2CID73496502.