Desyrel

Desyrel is a prescription medication that is licensed for the treatment of depression in adults. Although it is not exactly known how the drug works, it is thought to balance serotonin levels in the brain and block certain serotonin receptors. The antidepressant comes in tablet form and is generally taken one to three times a day. Potential side effects of Desyrel may include drowsiness, headache, or fatigue.

 

What Is Desyrel?

Desyrel® (trazodone hydrochloride) is a prescription medicine used for the treatment of depression (also known as major depression or clinical depression).
 
(Click Desyrel Uses for more information on what the drug is used for, including possible off-label uses.)
 

Who Makes Desyrel?

Desyrel was manufactured by Bristol-Myers Squibb. However, brand-name Desyrel is no longer being manufactured. Generic Desyrel is still available and is made by several different manufacturers.
 

How Does Desyrel Work?

It is not entirely clear how Desyrel works, since no other medications work exactly like it. Desyrel acts on a specific chemical within the brain known as serotonin. This is one of several chemicals used to send messages in between nerves; however, when serotonin levels become unbalanced, it can cause a variety of conditions, including depression. Desyrel helps to block the reuptake of serotonin so that more is available for the nerves in the brain, returning the serotonin back to its "normal" levels. However, unlike selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), Desyrel may also block certain serotonin receptors.
 
(Desyrel Continued: Page 2)
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;
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