Course Summary
Venlafaxine is an antidepressant medication with potent inhibitors of neuronal serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake and weak dopamine reuptake inhibitors. Antidepressant medications such as venlafaxine are considered first-line treatments for patients with moderate to severe major depressive disorder. Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors have been approved in the United States by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of major depressive disorders in adults and is now commonly used in many other countries. Venlafaxine is marketed in both immediate and extended release formulas, and has been reported to be associated with better response rates when compared to other antidepressants with higher discontinuation outcomes.
Course Format
Homestudy
Course Syllabus
- I. Introduction
- II. Pharmacological Profile
- 1. Category
- 2. Mechanism of Action
- 3. Drug Uses
- 4. Available Forms
- 5. Dosing: Adult
- 6. Dosing Adjustment: Geriatric Patients
- 7. Dosing Adjustment: Hepatic Impairment
- 8. Dosing Adjustment: Rental Impairment
- 9. US Boxed Warning
- 10. Contraindications
- 11. Adverse Effects
- 12. Warnings
- 13. Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
- 14. Drug Interactions
- III. Clinical Pearls: Venlafaxine
- IV. Venlafaxine Overdose
- V. Case Study
- 1. Discussion
- VI. Summary
Author
Dana Bartlett, RN, BSN, MSN, MA, CSPI
Dana Bartlett is a professional nurse and author. His clinical experience includes 16 years of ICU and ER experience and over 27 years as a poison control center information specialist. Dana has published numerous CE and journal articles, written NCLEX material, textbook chapters, and more than 100 online CE articles, and done editing and reviewing for publishers such as Elsevier, Lippincott, and Thieme. He has written widely on the subject of toxicology and was a contributing editor, toxicology section, for Critical Care Nurse journal. He is currently employed at the Connecticut Poison Control Center. He lives in Wappingers Falls, NY.
