Paroxetine (PAXIL)
Paroxetine (PAXIL)
Paroxetine (Paxil) has the reputation as a calming (as opposed to energizing) antidepressant. However, there are several reasons to choose a different SSRI. Although paroxetine is FDA-approved for more anxious conditions than other SSRIs, it has performed no better for anxiety in head-to-head trials (Sanchez et al, 2014).
Disadvantages of paroxetine compared to other SSRIs:
► More fatigue
► More weight gain
► More sexual dysfunction
► More likely to cause withdrawal symptoms with missed doses
► More CYP interactions (excluding fluvoxamine)
► More anticholinergic effects
► Risk of dementia (anticholinergic), unlike other SSRIs
► Risk of birth defects
► Less effective than escitalopram, even for anxiety disorders
Axl Rose has short stature. Among antidepressants, Paxil has a relatively short elimination half-life of 21 hours. A missed dose may result in unpleasant serotonin withdrawal symptoms.
Paroxetine is the only SSRI with significant anticholinergic effects, making it a bad SSRI choice for elderly individuals. As a result of this anticholinergic activity, Paxil is the most constipating SSRI—“Paxil packs it in”. Paroxetine is the most likely SSRI to cause tachycardia, which is an anticholinergic effect. Prolonged exposure to anticholinergic medications is a risk factor for cognitive decline. Paxil is the only SSRI associated with increased risk (2-fold) of developing dementia (Heath et al, 2018).
Paroxetine has more potential to cause fatigue and weight gain than other modern antidepressants, but less so than some TCAs.
All SSRIs commonly decrease sexual desire, disrupt the sexual pleasure response, and increase latency to orgasm. Among SSRIs, Paxil is the most likely to cause sexual dysfunction. Since Paxil is the “best” at interfering with orgasms, it is the SSRI of choice for off-label treatment of premature ejaculation. Its short half-life makes it handy as a PRN for this purpose.
There may be a possibility of birth defects if Paxil is taken in early pregnancy. Under pre-2015 FDA pregnancy risk categories, paroxetine was pregnancy Category D, while other SSRIs were Category C.
As a strong 2D6 inhibitor, paroxetine is more likely to cause problematic drug-drug interactions than the other commonly used SSRIs. Fluvoxamine (Luvox), a stronger inhibitor of CYP enzymes, is worse than Paxil in terms of interactions.
The enteric coated controlled-release formulation of paroxetine, Paxil CR, is less likely to cause nausea. Nausea is a short-lived side effect, and after the first week the CR formulation offers little advantage over immediate-release paroxetine.
Dosing: Start 20 mg AM. Depending on the indication, FDA max is 50–60 mg. For OCD start 20 mg AM, increase by 10 mg weekly to target of at least 40 mg. FDA max for OCD is 60 mg, but can go as high as 100 mg (Stahl, 2016). The target dose for panic disorder is 40 mg. Consider twice daily dosing ≥ 40 mg. For menopausal hot flashes, rather than using expensive 7.5 mg paroxetine (Brisdelle), prescribe 10 mg generic paroxetine HS. Taper gradually to discontinue to avoid serotonin withdrawal symptoms.