Pharmacokinetics of antidepressants: why and how they are relevant to treatment.

The pharmacokinetics of antidepressants are reviewed with special emphasis on clinical applicability. There are substantial pharmacokinetic differences among the five major classes. Pharmacokinetic differences between members of a specific class are usually modest except for serotonin selective reuptake inhibitors. Between members of this class pharmacokinetic differences are the major distinguishing variables and have clinically important consequences.