Strategies for managing sexual dysfunction induced by antidepressant medication
Abstract
Background: Sexual dysfunction (including altered sexual desire, orgasmic and ejaculatory dysfunction, erectile and other problems) is a relatively common side effect of antidepressant medication. These sexual side effects may compromise a person's lifestyle and result in a lack of compliance with the prescribed antidepressant to the detriment of the person's mental health. A wide range of management strategies are possible to address this problem, including behavioural, psychological and pharmacological approaches.
Objectives: 1. To determine the effectiveness of management strategies for sexual dysfunction caused by antidepressants.2. To determine the adverse effects and acceptability of the different management strategies.
Search methods: We searched the Cochrane Depression, Anxiety and Neurosis Group's Specialized Register (CCDANCTR, to 1 January 2013), which includes relevant randomised controlled trials from the following bibliographic databases: The Cochrane Library (all years), EMBASE (1974 to date), MEDLINE (1950 to date) and PsycINFO (1967 to date). Additional searches were carried out by the author team on the same biomedical databases (using terms for 'sexual dysfunction' only) together with CINAHL (1982 to Jan 2012). The reference lists of reports of all included studies were screened.
Selection criteria: We included randomised controlled trials that compared management strategies for antidepressant-induced sexual dysfunction versus placebo or any alternative…
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a meta-analysis, done in people. Its evidence level is 1 of 5 (Highest · pooled evidence). Pooled evidence from several studies sits at the top of the evidence pyramid. Reported size: 1,886 participants or records.
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