Baby Jennifer had to undergo open-heart surgery before her first birthday.
Her mother took Zoloft during her pregnancy with Jennifer, which had been
touted as safe to use. Jennifer has spent much of her infant life in and
out of hospitals.
Detailed Zoloft Information
Pharmaceutical: Zoloft
Manufacturer: Pfizer
Generic Name: sertraline (or sertraline hydrochloride)
Drug Class: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressant
CAS Number: 79617-96-2
Guidelines:
Zoloft is used to treat the following disorders:
- major depressive disorder (MDD)
- obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
- body dysmorphic disorder (BDD)
- posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)
- panic disorder
- and social phobia (social anxiety disorder, or SAD)
Contraindications:
- The use of MAOIs intended to treat psychiatric disorders with Zoloft or within 14 days of stopping treatment with Zoloft is contraindicated because of an increased risk of serotonin syndrome.
- The use of Zoloft within 14 days of stopping an MAOI intended to treat psychiatric disorders is also contraindicated.
- Concomitant use in patients taking pimozide is contraindicated. Zoloft is contraindicated in patients with a hypersensitivity to sertraline or any of the inactive ingredients in Zoloft.
Adverse Outcomes:
- sexual dysfunction
- dry mouth
- drowsiness
- dizziness
- insomnia
- fatigue
- excessive sweating
- tremors
- loss of appetite
- weight loss
- head pain
- nausea
- gas
- diarrhea
- constipation
- stomach cramps
- feeling weak
- agitation
- anxiety and nervousness
Serious Adverse Outcome:
Serotonin syndrome or Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS)-like Reactions. The development of a potentially life-threatening serotonin syndrome or Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS)-like reactions have been reported with SNRIs and SSRIs alone, including Zoloft treatment, but particularly with concomitant use of serotonergic drugs (including triptans) with drugs which impair metabolism of serotonin (including MAOIs), or with antipsychotics or other dopamine antagonists.
Serotonin syndrome symptoms may include:
-
mental status changes
- agitation
- hallucinations
- coma
-
autonomic instability
- tachycardia
- labile blood pressure
- hyperthermia
-
neuromuscular aberrations
- hyperreflexia
- incoordination
-
and/or gastrointestinal symptoms
- nausea
- vomiting
- diarrhea
Warnings:
Zoloft carries the following Black Box warning on its label: Antidepressants increased the risk compared to placebo of suicidal thinking and behavior (suicidality) in children, adolescents, and young adults in short-term studies of major depressive disorder (MDD) and other psychiatric disorders.
Medical Studies:
- New England Journal of Medicine Study:Selective Serotonin-Reuptake Inhibitors and Risk of Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn
- New England Journal of Medicine Study:First-Trimester Use of Selective Serotonin-Reuptake Inhibitors and the Risk of Birth Defects
Pregnancy Category:
Category C, which means there is no controlled data in human pregnancy studies but animal studies have shown adverse effects on the fetus.
.1).png "Best Law Firms 2023"){kind=icon}
.png "California Powerhouse")
