AbstractBackground: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors form the mainstay of treatment in many of the common psychiatric disorders, mainly depressive and anxiety disorders. These drugs have a potential to cause sexual side dysfunction, which, forms a part of the symptomatology of many diseases which are treated with them. The current study aimed to evaluate the frequency of occurance of sexual dysfunction in SSRI users in a tertiary care setting. Materials and Methods: The participants of the study were recruited from inpatient and outpatients prescribed on SSRIs at Father Muller Medical College Hospital, Mangalore, Karnataka, India. The study sample consisted of a total of 62 participants satisfying the inclusion criteria. Study was conducted for a period of 3 months, from August 2015 to October 2015.Participants recruited were evaluated using MINI PLUS and ASEX. Results: Majority of the participants were males (74%), belonged to age group 30-39years (38.7%). Majority of the population (64%) belonged to urban domicile and 60.8% from nuclear families. 59.7% belonged to Hindu religion, which formed the majority of participants.27.4% had completed primary school education, 45.2% were unskilled workers. Overall frequency of dysthymic disorder was found to be highest (19.3%) among the study population.87.1 % of the studied population was prescribed on escitalopram, rest of the drugs together contributed 12.9%.Out of the total population studied, 38.7% reported of clinically significant sexual dysfunction. Maximum amount of reported sexual dysfunction included decreased desire (21.0%), followed by orgasmic dysfunctions and delayed ejaculation. Conclusion: Sexual dysfunction associated with SSRIs was found to be significantly present in the study population which warrants specific evaluation for occurrence of sexual dysfunction in patients prescribed with this particular class of antidepressants.

Keywords: Sexual dysfunction.