Sertraline and citalopram linked to change in weight and blood pressure View Image

People taking certain antidepressants can put on up to 2kg (4.5lbs) in the first two months of treatment, while patients taking other drugs can expect to shed 2.5kg (5.5lbs), according to a new review. Academics set out to rank antidepressants based on a number of known side effects linked to the drugs in the first eight weeks after starting treatment.

The research team, led by academics from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King’s College London, examined data on 58,534 people who took part in more than 150 studies comparing 30 antidepressants with a dummy drug, known as a placebo.

They found the most noticeable differences in weight change; heart rate and blood pressu

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