Today, there exist several disorders and diseases that take place in the human body. There are several types of illnesses that the human body has to deal with.
If a person is dealing with mental health issues, there are several medicines that can be used to treat and cure those disorders. Two of those are 1. Paxil and 2. Zoloft.
Paxil vs Zoloft
The difference between Paxil and Zoloft is the generic names of the respective medicines. The generic name of Paxil is Paroxetine. On the other hand, the generic name of Zoloft is Sertraline. There are other parameters used as well to differentiate between the two medicines.
Paxil is a medicine that is used as an antidepressant. Paxil is the brand name, and the generic name of the medicine is paroxetine. Seroxat and Loxamine are also the brand names by which this medicine is known as.
Zoloft is a medicine that is used as an antidepressant that targets a specific class of serotonin reuptake inhibitor which is also a drug class. Zoloft is the brand name, and the generic name of the medicine is sertraline.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Paxil | Zoloft |
|---|---|---|
| Generic Name | Paroxetine | Sertraline |
| Brand/ Trade Names | Paxil, Seroxat, Loxamine | Zoloft, Amy, Lustral |
| Manufacturing Company | GlaxoSmithKline | Pfizer |
| Released in | The early 90s | 1997 |
| Side-effects | Constipation, weakness, loss of appetite, sweating, yawning constantly, nausea, infections etc. | Dryness in the mouth, fatigue, drowsiness, sleeplessness, upset stomach etc. |
What is Paxil?
Paxil, also known as Loxamine and Seroxat, is a medicine that is used for the treatment of several mental health disorders. These disorders include depression, OCD or obsessive-compulsive disorder, both generalized and social anxiety disorders, panic attacks, PTSD or post-traumatic stress disorder, premenstrual dysphoric disorder etc.
The manufacturer of this medicine is GlaxoSmithKline. In the year 2018, Paxil was one of the top ten most prescribed medicines for the treatment of depression and other mental health disorders.
Other than that, a patient may also experience sexual dysfunction and insomnia. Studies have also shown that people have also experienced side-effects like nervousness in their behaviour, diarrhoea etc.
They must always make sure that they take medicine in the right quantity and must overdose or even skipping the dose. However, a person must make sure that they are taking the right medicine as well.
What is Zoloft?
Zoloft, also known as Amy and Lustral, is a medicine that is used for the treatment of several mental health disorders. These disorders include depression, OCD or obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic attacks, social anxiety, premenstrual dysphoric disorder etc.
The medicine Zoloft was approved first in the year 1997. However, it is approved for children that have OCD or obsessive-compulsive disorder and only for the treatment of this particular disorder, and it must not be consumed by children with other mental health illnesses.
Other than that, a person may also experience agitated behaviour, nausea, loss of appetite etc. Unlike the side-effect of Paxil, a person does not experience sexual dysfunction as a side-effect of Zoloft.
People must understand the importance of medication. People must understand that they can avoid further serious issues that a certain disorder has by following medications strictly in the initial stage itself.
Main Differences Between Paxil and Zoloft
- .One of the side effects of Paxil includes sexual dysfunction, which is not one of the side effects of Zoloft.
- If a patient is taking Paxil, then he or she must not take any other medications. On the other hand, if a patient is undergoing electroconvulsive therapy, then he or she must not take Zoloft.
References
- https://www.nature.com/articles/srep23789
- https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/chir.20113
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My name is Piyush Yadav, and I am a physicist passionate about making science more accessible to our readers. You can read more about me on my bio page.
