Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Venlift OD uses and side effects

Venlift OD ("Once daily") is a medication prescribed for major depression and anxiety disorders. It is an Indian brand name of Venlafaxine manufactured by Torrent pharmaceuticals. This medication is a SNRI or selective serotonin and noradrenalin reuptake inhibitor class medication.

This medication acts by increasing serotonin and noradrenaline in nerve terminals.
Its commonest side effects are dry mouth, reduced sleep and constipation. Venlift OD is the extended release preparation of the Venlift. Venlift OD has to be given less frequently than Venlift.

Sections


1. Side effects of Venlift OD


Uses of Venlift OD


This medication is prescribed for depressive disorder, anxiety disorder such as panic disorder and social phobia.
Venlift OD capsules

Depression is characterized by persistent low mood, difficulty in enjoying pleasure and inability to work due to lack of energy. In addition, patients with severe form of depression get suicidal ideas and can end their lives.

Venlift OD is prescribed for depression


In addition to depression, this medication is useful in treating anxiety disorders such as social phobia and panic disorder. Panic disorder is characterized by sudden onset out of the blue attacks of anxiety associated with fear of death, fear of suffocation or fear of heart attacks. It is common for general medical clinic to get patients with panic disorder.

Social anxiety disorder is characterized by severe disabling anxiety in social situations. They become severely anxious to talk to strangers and participate in social events.

How to take Venlift OD


This medication should be taken with a full glass of water. In addition, it should be taken with food to minimize side effects. Since this medication comes as a capsule, you should not break or remove the cover of the capsule.

Always follow your doctor’s advice and do not stop taking this medication without medical advice.

Usual dose range of this medication is 37.5mg to 375mg per day. Venlift OD preparation can be given once daily but most of the time prescribed twice daily to minimize side effects.

Take this medication with full glass of water to minimize side effects


Taking this medication after a meal would reduce side effects


What are the things you should tell your doctor before getting the prescription?


  1. High blood pressure
  2. Heart disease
  3. Bipolar disease
  4. Liver and Kidney failure
  5. Myasthenia gravis
  6. Hyperthyroidism
It is very important to tell your doctor whether you have hypertension as this medication is known to increase blood pressure.

High blood pressure is a common side effect


How Venlift OD works


Venlift increases serotonin and noradrenaline neurotransmission in the brain counteracting changes that are occurring in depression and other conditions. Compared to SSRI medications, this medication increase both noradrenaline and serotonin levels at higher doses. Which explains its higher efficacy.

What are the common side effects of Venlift OD?


This medication can cause nausea, and sometimes vomiting. In addition, it can cause heart burn and gastric irritation. It can also cause significant sexual dysfunction including lack of desire and erectile dysfunction in men.

At the initial part of the therapy you would experience increase of anxiety symptoms including dry mouth, increased heart rate, sweating and mild tremors. But they will usually goes off as time pass. In addition, you may experience sleep problems with this medication and some will experience poor sleep. In such patients it is advised to take this medication at morning.

Sleep problems are common side effect

Common side effects

  1. Nausea
  2. Gastric irritation
  3. Headache
  4. Sexual dysfunction
  5. High blood pressure
  6. Sleep problems
  7. Dry mouth
  8. Sweating
  9. Increased anxiety


Sexual side effects can be annoying - But successful treatment of depression would improve sexual function


What are the more serious side effects associated with Venlift OD


This medication can cause manic shift in patients with bipolar disorder. It is characterized by increased energy, increased wellbeing and increased activity followed by more disinhibited behavior which is out of character.

In addition, certain group of people would develop serious complication called serotonin syndrome. It is characterized by high fever, sweating, course tremors and confusion. It usually occurs when you were changed from one medication to another or in case of rapid increase in dose.

List of serious side effects associated with Venlift OD

  1. Serotonin syndrome
  2. Bipolar mania
  3. Increased bleeding
  4. Increased gastric ulceration
  5. Dangerous increase in blood pressure (Usually in over dose)
This medication can become toxic in overdose and therefore doctors prescribe Venlift carefully to patients with high suicidal risk.

Summary


Venlift OD is a SNRI class medication. Its generic name is Venlafaxine. It is prescribed for major depression and anxiety disorders. Its main side effects are nausea, gastric irritation, increased blood pressure, sexual dysfunction and sleep problems.







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