Why Wellbutrin a Highly Prescribed Drug?

Marketed as Wellbutrin and other trade names, bupropion hydrochloride (USAN, BAN) is one of the most frequently prescribed antidepressants in the United States.

As more people were diagnosed with clinical depression, and treatment effectiveness were still low for other existing antidepressants, Bupropion as a newcomer to the antidepressant market, was immediately sought after.

It has become a popular drug used to treat depressive disorders including seasonal affective disorder, ADHD and bipolar disorder, often being mixed with other medications to treat different symptoms. It supposed to improve your mood and feelings of well-being by restoring the chemical balance in your brain.

As of 2013, three different pharmaceutical companies had successfully produced the generic equivalent form of bupropion. Actavis, Inc., Mylan Inc., and Par Pharmaceutical received FDA approval for their generic bupropion products. Watson, a drug company in the process of merging with Actavis at the time, was asked to recall their submission due to insufficient evidence for the equivalent effect of their generic bupropion formulation.

Bupropion is also used to help people stop smoking, acting as a smoke cessation drug. Bupropion hydrochloride is marketed under the following names:

• Wellbutrin
• Wellbutrin SR
• Wellbutrin XL
• Zyban
• bupropion hydrochloride

It is interesting to have our attention called to the fact that people who take Zyban, as a smoke cessation may experience neuropsychiatric symptoms, but there is risk for these serious side effects.

The FDA list symptoms such as changes in behavior, hostility, agitation, depressed mood, suicidal thoughts and behavior, and attempted suicide, even in users with no history of psychiatric conditions. With new awareness, physicians were further advised by the FDA.

(Fujoshi Bijou)

When bupropion first hit the market as Wellbutrin by GlaxoSmithKline, it became a bestseller for some push-the-button reasons. Users reported not gaining weight and being able to retain their libido. 

Even if depression (the most common ailment treated with bupropion), was a lifelong culprit for some people, staying slim or shedding a few ounces and keeping their intimacy intact still afford them some forms of happiness. What more could a chronically depressed person to ask?

FDA Medication Guide Antidepressant Medicines
Information for Healthcare Professionals on Zyban


References:

• Dr. Ian Morton, I.K. Morton, Judith M. Hall (31 October 1999). Concise Dictionary of Pharmacological Agents: Properties and Synonyms. Springer Science & Business Media. pp. 57–. ISBN 978-0-7514-0499-9.
• "Bupropion (By mouth)". PubMed Health. Bethesda, USA: National Institute of Health. 1 June 2014. Retrieved 18 July 2014.
• Brayfield, A, ed. (22 October 2013). "Bupropion". Martindale: The Complete Drug Reference. London, UK: Pharmaceutical Press. Retrieved 18 July 2014.