Effexor (Venlafaxine) is an antidepressant, belonging to the serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) class of drugs, used for the treatment of depression and anxiety disorders.
The drug, currently marketed by Pfizer, is the most prescribed SNRI in the U.S. and one of the most commonly prescribed antidepressants.
Venlafaxine was originally synthesized by Wyeth in the 1980s. The company first launched the immediate-release formulation of the drug in the American market in 1994 - for the treatment of depression.
The extended-release (XR) formulation of Effexor was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) a few years later, in 1997.
The effectiveness of using Effexor to treat depression has been examined in a number of studies. A research review of the "antidepressant efficacy of venlafaxine", published in Depression and Anxiety, concluded that "venlafaxine is a unique antidepressant medication with well documented efficacy and safety in the acute treatment of major depressive disorder."
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Category(s):Depression
Source material from Medical News TOday
