The drug that I chose to research was fluoxetine. The brand name for fluoxetine is Prozac. Fluoxetine is part of the classification of drugs called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Fluoxetine is used to treat depression. More people suffer from depression than a person would think. Depression strikes people of all ages, backgrounds, and ethnic groups. It is estimated that about 20 million adults in the U.S. suffer from depression each year, and that up to 25% of all women and up to 12% of all men in the U.S. will experience an episode of major depression some time in their lives. About 1 out of 6 American adults have depression during their lifetimes. Depression is not a sign of weakness or character flaw. It is a medical condition (“Understanding Depression”, 2002, Zoloft.com)

Prozac was first introduced to the US market in January 1988. Ray Fuller led the team of inventors behind Prozac. Fuller was posthumously awarded the Pharmaceutical Discoverer's Award from Narsad for discovering fluoxetine or Prozac. Also awarded were Bryan Molloy and David Wong, both members of the Eli Lilly Company research team (Bellis, 2003). Prozac was the first product of the new classificatio

Precautions should be taken while taking fluoxetine. If fluoxetine is taken within two weeks of another class of drugs called monoamine oxidase inhibitors or MAOI. People who have liver disease and severe kidney disease are strongly cautioned when taking this drug. Pregnant or nursing mothers should not take this drug because of major abnormalities in the fetus and premature labor. A physician should evaluate any long-term use in any individual (Salerno, 1999).

n of the drugs known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Prozac works by increasing brain levels of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that is thought to influence sleep, appetite, aggression and mood (“Antidepressant Prozac Introduced” 1987, 1998).

Fluoxetine can be used for a wide variety of things including depression, bulimia nervosa, obsessive compulsive disorder, obesity, alcoholism, anorexia, bipolar affective disorder, generalized anxiety disorder and other conditions a doctor can determine (“Understanding Depression, 2002, prozac.com). Fluoxetine has been shown to significantly reduce symptoms of these disorders when compared to placebo treatments. Abnormal serotonin function may be involved in depression, and fluoxetine and other SSRI’s are effective in treating the common symptoms of depression. They can help improve mood and mental alertness, increase physical activity, and improve sleep patterns (CMD Publishing, 2002).

Since the introduction of fluoxetine, the generic form

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