Zoloft
About Zoloft PDF Print

What is Zoloft?

Zoloft (sertraline) is in a class of medications called Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs). Zoloft is used to treat:

  • Depression
  • Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
  • Panic disorder
  • Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
  • Premenstrual dysphoric disorder
  • Social anxiety disorder (SAD)

Zoloft is made by Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, and was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1991.

Special Instructions for Taking Zoloft Oral Concentrate

When taking Zoloft oral concentrate, dilute it in only ½ cup of water, ginger ale, lemon/lime soda, or orange juice. Take immediately after mixing. Tell your doctor if you are allergic to latex, because the dropper used to measure Zoloft oral concentrate contains natural rubber.

Zoloft FDA Alert - Serotonin Syndrome

In July 2006, the FDA issued an alert stating that a life-threatening condition called serotonin syndrome can occur when medicines called Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs, such as Zoloft) and medicines used to treat migraine headaches known as 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor agonists (triptans), are taken together. Signs and symptoms of serotonin syndrome include:

  • restlessness
  • hallucinations
  • loss of coordination
  • fast heartbeat
  • increased body temperature
  • fast changes in blood pressure
  • overactive reflexes
  • diarrhea
  • coma
  • nausea
  • vomiting

Serotonin syndrome may be more likely to occur when starting or increasing the dose of an SSRI or a triptan. If you take migraine headache medicines, ask your healthcare professional if your medicine is a triptan.

Zoloft FDA Alert - Antidepressants and Pregnant Women

In July 2006, the FDA issued an alert announcing the results of a study looking at the use of antidepressant medicines during pregnancy by mothers of babies born with a serious condition called persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN).

Babies born with PPHN have abnormal blood flow through the heart and lungs, and do not get enough oxygen to their bodies. Babies born with PPHN can be very sick and may die. Results from the study also showed that babies born to mothers who took SSRIs 20 weeks or later into their pregnancies had a higher chance (were 6 times as likely) to have PPHN, when compared to babies born to mothers who did not take antidepressants during pregnancy.

The FDA has announced that it plans to further examine the role of SSRIs in babies with PPHN.

Talk to your healthcare professional if you are taking Zoloft and are pregnant, or are planning to become pregnant. You and your healthcare professional can decide the best way to treat your depression during pregnancy.

More information on antidepressants is available from the FDA here.

Most content above from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
 
Pregnant Mothers Taking Antidepressants May Risk Baby's Health PDF Print

In recent years, women have been advised to avoid medications during pregnancy and while breastfeeding their infants; yet, at the same time, some conditions pregnant women suffer such as hypertension (high blood pressure), asthma, epilepsy and depression require long-term and continued medication management.

It appears as though pregnant women suffering from depression may be in a no-win situation because failure to manage depression with continued SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) medication may affect the health of both mother and child. SSRI's are designed to elevate the level of the neurotransmitter serotonin. A low level of serotonin is one of several neurochemical symptoms of depression. Low levels of serotonin can be caused by an anxiety disorder because serotonin is needed to metabolize stress hormones.


Persistent pulmonary hypertension (PPHN) has been found in infants of mothers taking Zoloft (generic sertraline) during pregnancy. Infants born with PPHN have difficulty making the transition from breathing inside the womb to normal breathing after deliver and often require a ventilator due to respiratory failure. Research has found that SSRI's accumulate in the adult's lungs and serotonin can cause the proliferation of certain muscle cells. This may possibly explain the drug's effect on the fetus. Approximately 10-20% of babies born with this condition do not survive.

SSRI's have also been known to cause withdrawal symptoms in those who abruptly stop taking the drugs. Stopping these drugs is something that must be carefully monitored by a physician, and generally, tapering off of the drugs is recommended. Abruptly stopping the drugs may cause the infant to experience withdrawals symptoms such as tremors, high-pitched crying, sleep disturbances, and gastrointestinal problems. A shocking 13% of 60 newborns exposed to SSRI's showed severe symptoms of withdrawal upon birth.

In February 2006, the New England Journal of Medicine published a study indicating that mothers taking SSRI antidepressants after the 20th week of pregnancy were six times more likely to give birth to an infant with a serious hearth defect than mothers not taking SSRI antidepressants.

Depression is a serious illness that often carries with it an increased risk of suicide in the sufferer and should be treated by your doctor(s). For decades, SSRIs have helped thousands of men and women fight depression. However, the statistics clearly show that there are serious risks involved with taking SSRI medication during pregnancy.
 


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