antidepressant

antidepressant
1. Counteracting depression. 2. An agent used in treating depression.
- tetracyclic a. a class of antidepressants similar to the tricyclic antidepressants and also related to the phenothiazine antipsychotics; e.g., maprotiline.
- triazolopyridine a. a class of antidepressants structurally and pharmacologically unrelated to other antidepressants; clinical effectiveness appears to be equivalent to the tricyclic antidepressants, but with less anticholinergic side effect s; e.g., trazodone.
- tricyclic a. a chemical group of a. drugs that share a 3-ringed nucleus; e.g., amitriptyline, imipramine, desipramine, and nortriptyline.

* * *

an·ti·de·pres·sant .ant-i-di-'pres-ənt, .an-.tī- also an·ti·de·pres·sive -'pres-iv adj used or tending to relieve or prevent psychic depression
antidepressant also antidepressive n an antidepressant drug called also energizer, psychic energizer, psychostimulant compare TRICYCLIC ANTIDEPRESSANT

* * *

n.
a drug that alleviates the symptoms of depression. The most widely prescribed antidepressants are a group of drugs with a basic chemical structure of three benzene rings, called tricyclic antidepressants, which include amitriptyline, doxepin, and imipramine. These drugs are useful in treating a variety of different depressive symptoms. Side-effects commonly include dry mouth, blurred vision, constipation, drowsiness, and difficulty in urination. Other antidepressants include the MAO inhibitor, which have more severe side-effects, and the serotonin-specific reuptake inhibitors (see SSRI), e.g. fluoxetine and fluvoxamine, which generally have less sedative effects than the tricyclic anti-depressants.

* * *

an·ti·de·pres·sant (an″te-) (an″ti-de-presґənt) 1. preventing or relieving depression; stimulating the mood of a depressed patient. 2. an agent that prevents or relieves depression.

Medical dictionary. 2011.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • antidepressant — [an΄tīdē pres′ənt, an΄tēdē pres′ənt, an΄tidē pres′ənt, an΄tīdipres′ənt, an΄tēdipres′ənt, an΄tidipres′ənt] adj. Psychiatry designating or of any drug used primarily to treat emotional depression n. an antidepressant drug …   English World dictionary

  • antidepressant — (n.) 1876, from ANTI (Cf. anti ) + DEPRESSANT (Cf. depressant) …   Etymology dictionary

  • Antidepressant — Fluoxetine (Prozac), an SSRI The chemical structure of …   Wikipedia

  • Antidepressant —    The concept of drugs thought to work specifically against a disease called depression is probably a misnomer because depression often includes anxiety and other symptoms as well. Yet, antidepressant has claimed a firm place in the nomenclature …   Historical dictionary of Psychiatry

  • antidepressant — /an tee di pres euhnt, an tuy /, Pharm. adj. 1. of or pertaining to a substance that is used in the treatment of mood disorders, as characterized by various manic or depressive affects. n. 2. Also called energizer, psychic energizer. any such… …   Universalium

  • antidepressant — I. adjective Date: 1961 used or tending to relieve or prevent psychic depression II. noun Date: 1962 an antidepressant drug compare tricyclic antidepressant …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • antidepressant — {{Roman}}I.{{/Roman}} noun Antidepressant is used before these nouns: ↑prescription {{Roman}}II.{{/Roman}} adj. Antidepressant is used with these nouns: ↑medication …   Collocations dictionary

  • antidepressant — UK [ˌæntɪdɪˈpres(ə)nt] / US noun [countable] Word forms antidepressant : singular antidepressant plural antidepressants a drug used for treating someone who is depressed (= so unhappy that they are considered ill) …   English dictionary

  • antidepressant — adjective used to alleviate depression. noun an antidepressant drug …   English new terms dictionary

  • antidepressant — an•ti•de•pres•sant [[t]ˌæn ti dɪˈprɛs ənt, ˌæn taɪ [/t]] also an•ti•de•pres•sive [[t]ˌæn ti dɪˈprɛs ɪv, ˌæn taɪ [/t]] adj. 1) pha used to relieve or treat mental depression 2) pha an antidepressant drug • Etymology: 1960–65 …   From formal English to slang

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”