Difference Between Paxil and Zoloft

Paxil vs. Zoloft

A lot of people these days are turning on to medicines for personal support. While this kind of approach is expensive and deemed dangerous when overdosed, it is undeniable that most of the medicines prescribed by the doctors and available over the counter really help lives get better. One of the most common and widely used medicines are Paxil and Zoloft.

Paxil and Zoloft are antidepressants. These medications fall under the selective serotonine reuptake inhibitor type or SSRI. However, they have different features and can treat different symptoms of depressions. Here are the differences of the features of the most highly competing anti-depressants drugs in the market.

Paroxetine or otherwise known as Paxil can treat not only depression, but also disorders such as obsessive compulsive disorder, social anxiety disorder and panic disorder. GlaxoSmithKline is the company that manufactured the drug Paxil. It went out public in the early 90’s and entered the market earlier than Zoloft. While this drug help cease depression among patients, it also carries side effects that vary from normal to extensive. Normal side effects of Paxil include dryness of mouth, loss of appetite, loss of sexual desire, anxiety, diarrhea, drowsiness, trouble sleeping, and many more. Extensive side effects include severe allergic reactions, bloody stools, severe and painful erection, unfamiliar agitation, panic attacks, and many others. Paxil also carries out fatal side effects and one of the most common is the Serotonin syndrome, which happens when, drugs such as Paxil is taken together with anti-migraine drugs.

Sertraline hydrochloride, more commonly known as Zoloft, may also treat depression, but may cause side effects which may get pretty adverse. Pfizer is the manufacturer of Zoloft and was approved by the FDA in 1997. While this medicine is popular as an anti-depressant, it is also used by and prescribed for patients with obsessive- compulsive disorder, panic disorder and PMDD or premenstrual dysphoric disorder. More or less Zoloft has the same normal and extensive side effects with Paxil but one thing that should be remembered is that Zoloft cannot or should not be taken by a patient who is under electroconvulsive therapy. Because of the popularity of Zoloft and the adverse side effects associated with it, it was banned in the Great Britain in 2003 from being used by patients under 18 years old. It was because studies have shown that Zoloft induces suicidal thoughts on younger individuals.

If you are allergic to any ingredient of Paxil or Zoloft, then it is best that you do not use them. You can’t also take Paxil or Zoloft if you have taken in other medications such as monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) and fenfluramine derivative. If you have taken such medications, you must first consult your doctor before taking in any Paxil or Zoloft. When you are having serious side effects from taking these medications, it is best to consult your doctor too.

One last fact about Paxil and Zoloft is that the side effects of both of these drugs gave way to the rise of litigation suits concerning the usage of these two medications.

Summary:

1.

GlaxoSmithKline is the company which manufactured Paxil while Pfizer is the manufacturer of Zoloft.
2.

Paxil went out in the early 90’s while Zoloft was approved by the FDA in 1997.
3.

Paxil must not be taken in together with other medications while Zoloft should not be taken in if you are undergoing electroconvulsive therapy.
4.

Paxil litigation cases may take a long time to evaluate, while Zoloft was banned for children in Britain.

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