Sexual side effects from treatment with SSRI

Treatment with SSRI have a high frequency of treatment of emergent sexual dysfunction. The mechanism is thought to be through serotoninergic inhibition of the sexual response. More than 70% of patients treated with sertraline, citalopram or paroxetine experience sexual side effects, while escitalopram and fluvoxamine yield the lowest degree of sexual dysfunction within the group. This review suggests management strategies including dose reduction, change of medication and add-on treatment. A small group of patients experience post-SSRI dysfunction, in which sexual dysfunction persists after treatment termination.