Posted by Elizabeth on December 8, 2001, at 19:57:05
In reply to Effexor an opiate?, posted by dhldn on December 8, 2001, at 11:40:37
> It is concerning that venlafaxine has a close structural similarity to tramadol (a new narcotic analgesic). There is evidence that it has analgesic effects that are blocked by naloxone; that suggests it may be acting partly as an opioid drug.
That would be interesting, although I'm sure that Wyeth-Ayerst would do their best to keep it quiet.
> It seems that venlafaxine may be particularly prone to interact with MAOIs and thus be implicated in fatal serotonin syndrome reactions.
No more than any of the other serotonin reuptake inhibitors.
> ...is much more toxic in over-dose than any of the SSRIs or even than some of the old tricyclic antidepressants.
More than some of the TCAs? That's a bit of a surprise.
> History repeatedly demonstrates that new is not always better. History is repeatedly ignored.
In the (admittedly brief) history of pharmaceuticals, it seems to have been the case, mostly, that newer drugs have had *less* effect than their predecessors.
-elizabeth
poster:Elizabeth
thread:13781
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20011202/msgs/86335.html