Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors: depressing perioperative outcomes?

In recent years, prescriptions for antidepressant agents have increased substantially. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) have gradually supervened tricyclic agents as drugs of choice because of their lower toxicity and generally better tolerability. They cause less sedation with fewer anticholinergic effects and are now widely used for the treatment of many conditions including depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Recent evidence suggests that they are amongst the most commonly prescribed medications in the United States.