SSRIs 6 drugs First-line antidepressants that raise serotonin by blocking its reuptake — broad, well-tolerated, patient.
Treats: Depression · Anxiety disorders · OCD · PTSD
Boxed warning: increased suicidal thoughts in patients under 25 early in treatment; serotonin syndrome; bleeding risk; discontinuation syndrome — taper. sertraline, escitalopram, fluoxetine, citalopram, paroxetine…
SNRIs 4 drugs Raise both serotonin and norepinephrine — useful when depression comes with pain or fatigue.
Treats: Depression · Anxiety · Diabetic neuropathy · Fibromyalgia
Same boxed suicidality warning; dose-related hypertension; sweating; serotonin syndrome; strong discontinuation syndrome (venlafaxine). duloxetine, venlafaxine, desvenlafaxine, levomilnacipran
Atypical Antidepressants 5 drugs Antidepressants that work through other pathways — dopamine/norepinephrine (bupropion) or sleep/appetite (mirtazapine).
Treats: Depression · Smoking cessation (bupropion) · Insomnia with depression (mirtazapine, trazodone)
Bupropion lowers seizure threshold — avoid in eating disorders and seizure history; trazodone causes priapism; same suicidality boxed warning. bupropion, mirtazapine, trazodone, vortioxetine, vilazodone
Tricyclic Antidepressants (TCAs) 4 drugs Older, effective antidepressants now used more for pain and migraine — dangerous in overdose.
Treats: Neuropathic pain · Migraine prevention · Depression (second-line) · Insomnia
Lethal in overdose — fatal arrhythmias; strong anticholinergic and orthostatic effects; avoid in older adults and cardiac disease. amitriptyline, nortriptyline, imipramine, doxepin
First-Generation (Typical) Antipsychotics 4 drugs Block dopamine hard — strong on psychosis, heavy on movement side effects.
Treats: Schizophrenia · Acute agitation/psychosis · Tourette (haloperidol)
Extrapyramidal symptoms, tardive dyskinesia, neuroleptic malignant syndrome; QT prolongation; boxed warning: increased death in elderly dementia patients. haloperidol, chlorpromazine, fluphenazine, perphenazine
Second-Generation (Atypical) Antipsychotics 9 drugs Balance dopamine and serotonin — fewer movement effects, but metabolic weight/sugar/lipid problems.
Treats: Schizophrenia · Bipolar disorder · Depression adjunct · Severe agitation
Metabolic syndrome (weight, diabetes, lipids); clozapine boxed warnings — agranulocytosis (mandatory ANC monitoring), myocarditis, seizures; boxed warning: increased death in elderly dementia patients. risperidone, quetiapine, olanzapine, aripiprazole, ziprasidone…
Mood Stabilizers 4 drugs Level out the highs and lows of bipolar disorder — lithium is the gold standard.
Treats: Bipolar disorder · Mania · Suicide risk reduction (lithium)
Lithium has a narrow therapeutic window — levels, renal, and thyroid monitoring; toxicity with dehydration, NSAIDs, ACE inhibitors, thiazides; valproate/carbamazepine teratogenic. lithium, valproate, lamotrigine, carbamazepine
Benzodiazepines 7 drugs Boost GABA, the brain's brake — fast relief for anxiety, seizures, and alcohol withdrawal.
Treats: Acute anxiety/panic · Status epilepticus · Alcohol withdrawal · Procedural sedation
Boxed warning: fatal respiratory depression with opioids; dependence, tolerance, and dangerous withdrawal (seizures); falls in older adults. lorazepam, alprazolam, clonazepam, diazepam, midazolam…
Non-Benzo Sleep & Anxiety Agents 7 drugs Treat insomnia and anxiety without the full benzodiazepine risk profile.
Treats: Insomnia · Generalized anxiety (buspirone)
Z-drugs cause complex sleep behaviors (sleep-driving) — boxed warning; next-day impairment; buspirone takes weeks and cannot be used PRN. zolpidem, eszopiclone, zaleplon, buspirone, ramelteon…
ADHD Agents (Stimulants & Non-Stimulants) 7 drugs Sharpen focus by raising dopamine and norepinephrine in attention circuits.
Treats: ADHD · Narcolepsy
Boxed warning: high abuse and dependence potential (Schedule II stimulants); raise heart rate and blood pressure; suppress appetite/growth; screen for cardiac disease. methylphenidate, amphetamine-dextroamphetamine, lisdexamfetamine, dexmethylphenidate, atomoxetine…
Substance Use Disorder Agents 7 drugs Treat addiction — block cravings, reverse overdose, or make relapse unpleasant.
Treats: Opioid use disorder · Alcohol use disorder · Opioid overdose (naloxone) · Smoking cessation
Methadone prolongs QT and causes respiratory depression; naltrexone precipitates withdrawal in opioid-dependent patients; disulfiram + alcohol causes a violent reaction. buprenorphine-naloxone, methadone, naltrexone, naloxone, acamprosate…
