154 Copyright © SLACK Incorporated Feature Article Antidepressant-Induced Sexual Side Efects: Incidence, Assessment, Clinical Implications, and Management Dimitry Francois, MD, FAPA; Ariana Mireille Levin, BS; Eric J. Kutscher, BA; and Babatunde Asemota, MBBS ABSTRACT Antidepressant medications can cause numerous types of sexual dysfunction. It is important to screen for and treat antidepres- sant-induced sexual dysfunction, which is often under-reported and may exacerbate mood symptoms and negatively afect relationships and medication adherence. Management strategies include watchful waiting, reducing the antidepressant dose, adding a diferent type of antidepressant or a medication for erectile dysfunction, switching to another antidepressant, drug holidays, and timing of sexual relations with respect to antidepressant dose. [Psychiatr Ann. 2017;47(3):154-160.] S exual dysfunction (SD) is a problem among patients with depression, affecting almost one-half of people with untreated depression. 1 Whereas 26% of non- depressed people report some sexual dysfunction, this number increases to 45% in people with untreated depres- sion, and to 63% in medically treated patients with depression. 2 In addition to high levels of baseline SD in pa- tients with depression, many antide- pressant medications independently cause SD in any or all phases of the sexual response cycle, including libi- do, arousal, orgasm, and ejaculation. 1 TYPES OF ANTIDEPRESSANT- INDUCED SEXUAL SIDE EFFECTS Antidepressants can cause a variety of types of sexual dysfunction. In a hallmark study by Montejo-Gonzalez et al., 3 decreased libido was seen in Dimitry Francois, MD, FAPA, is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry; the Associate Director, Psychiatry Clerkship; and the Site Director, Psy- chiatry Clerkship (Westchester), Weill Cornell Medicine. Ariana Mireille Levin, BS, is a second- year Medical Student, Weill Cornell Medicine. Eric J. Kutscher, BA, is a second-year Medical Student, Weill Cornell Medicine. Babatunde Asemota, MBBS, is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medicine; and an Assistant Attending Psychiatrist, New York– Presbyterian Hospital Westchester Division. Address correspondence to Dimitry Francois, MD, FAPA, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York–Presbyterian/Westchester, 21 Bloomingdale Road, White Plains, NY 10605; email: dif9013@med.cornell.edu. Disclosure: The authors have no relevant financial relationships to disclose. doi: 10.3928/00485713-20170201-01 © Shutterstock