Venlafaxine exposure past a certain threshold did not enhance antidepressant response but increased adverse-effect burden in older adults with depression.
Does venlafaxine exposure level affect treatment outcomes and adverse effects in older adults with depression?
Therapeutic drug monitoring of venlafaxine in older adults may help avoid increased adverse effects without compromising antidepressant efficacy.
= 0.02).ConclusionOur findings suggest a potential threshold effect, where venlafaxine-related exposure past a certain level did not enhance antidepressant response but increased adverse-effect burden. These results support incorporating exposure measures from therapeutic drug monitoring in antidepressant studies to address the heterogeneity of safety and tolerability outcomes.
Men et al. (2026) studied this question. Venlafaxine exposure past a certain threshold did not enhance antidepressant response but increased adverse-effect burden in older adults with depression.