What it means
A serotonin-modulating antidepressant approved for depression and widely used at lower doses for insomnia. Side effects include drowsiness, dizziness, dry mouth and low blood pressure on standing. A rare but urgent side effect is priapism, a painful erection that lasts for hours.
For the nurse
Give at bedtime and teach the client to get up slowly; watch older adults for falls. Like all antidepressants, it carries a boxed warning about suicidal thoughts in young people. Teach male clients to seek emergency care for an erection lasting more than 4 hours.
At a glance
| Drug class | antidepressant (serotonin modulator) |
|---|---|
| Brand names | Desyrel |
| Spanish | trazodona |
| Also written | Desyrel |
Easy to confuse with
tramadol
An opioid pain drug, taken by mouth, for moderate to severe pain.
quetiapine
A second-generation antipsychotic drug used for schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and, with other drugs, depression.
Related terms
antidepressant
A drug used to treat depression and often anxiety, which works by changing the levels of brain chemicals such as serotonin.
sedation
A calm, relaxed or sleepy state brought on by drugs, or the use of drugs to cause it.
sertraline
An SSRI antidepressant used for depression, anxiety disorders, OCD and PTSD.