Zoloft (Sertraline) and Vyvanse are two popular drugs for managing depression. Both have their advantages, as well as disadvantages.
To know which one is better for you, here is a detailed comparison between zoloft and vyvanse that will help you make an informed choice.
Table of Contents
What is Zoloft?
Zoloft is an SSRI (Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) antidepressant drug which is used for the treatment of depression, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and social phobia.
It belongs to a class of drugs called the Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) that increases the level of serotonin, a neurotransmitter in the body.
It is also used for the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD).
Zoloft tablets can be taken as a single daily dose or in two divided doses.
What is Vyvanse?
Vyvanse is an amphetamine-based stimulant drug used to treat ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). It comes in the form of capsules that are to be taken once in a day. It is used for both children and adults with ADHD.
Vyvanse capsules are to be taken once a day with water at the same time each day. The capsules release the medication slowly over the course of the day.
Side by side comparison of Zoloft and Vyvanse
Pros of taking Zoloft along with Vyvanse
Increased effectiveness of treatment – Vyvanse has a short half-life of about 8 hours. Zoloft, on the other hand, has a long half-life of about 24 hours. If you take both drugs together, the combined half-life of the drugs taken together would be somewhere around the middle, 16 hours. T
he duration of the drug action is the time for which the therapeutic effect of a drug lasts. The longer the duration, the more effective the drug is likely to be.
Both drugs would have a synergistic effect, which would result in increased effectiveness of the treatment.
Improved compliance – Many people stop taking their medications as a result of adverse effects such as nausea and vomiting, headaches, etc.
Taking an SSRI, such as Zoloft, along with Vyvanse would help avoid such problems.
Cons of taking Zoloor with Vyvanse
More side effects: Combining two drugs that have different half-lives would result in prolongation of the therapeutic effect, with increased likelihood of adverse effects.
The likelihood of experiencing gastrointestinal side effects such as nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain would be higher if both drugs are taken together.
Increased risk of drug interactions: Both drugs are metabolized by the CYP450 enzyme. If one drug is metabolized by a particular enzyme, the other drug is metabolized by the same enzyme, and both drugs are taken together, an inhibition or an induction of the enzyme may occur, resulting in an increase in the concentration of the first drug, which may lead to toxicity, or an increase in the concentration of the second drug.
Bottomline
Zoloft and Vyvanse are two different drugs that have different actions on the human body. While Zoloft is an SSRI, Vyvanse is an amphetamine-based stimulant drug.
Zoloft is used to treat depression, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and social phobia. Vyvanse is used to treat ADHD.
Combining Zoloft and Vyvanse would result in increased effectiveness of the treatment, as well as improved compliance since both drugs would have fewer side effects.
However, it would also result in an increase in the likelihood of experiencing side effects such as nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain.
