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Overdosing on venlafaxine (Effexor and Effexor Extended-Release) may put patients at greater risk for death, compared with overdosing on SSRIs, according to newly revised prescribing information for the drug. In observational studies (e.g., Int J Legal Med 2005; 119:344), venlafaxine overdosing occurred mainly in combination with use of alcohol and other drugs. The FDA’s safety alert notes that the patients who are prescribed venlafaxine are usually more ill than other patients with depression and thus are at greater risk for suicide.
According to a letter from the manufacturer, the most common events reported after venlafaxine overdosing are tachycardia, reduced consciousness, mydriasis, and seizures. Other reported events include hypotensi…