Zoloft

sertraline

Common misspellings of this drug’s name:

• Soloft
• Zolof

Zoloft is an anti-depressant of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRIs) class. It is primarily prescribed for depression, panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), social anxiety disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

SSRI’s work by slowing the removal of specific chemicals that are needed for normal brain function from the brain. SSRI’s make these chemicals more available to the brain.

Zoloft can cause a number of distressing side effects, notably:

• Insomnia
• Tremors
• Mental confusion
• Dizziness
• Gastrointestinal distress, gas and bloating
• Muscle weakness

Zoloft has been banned in the United Kingdom due to reports of increased suicide in patients under the age of 18.

In July 2006, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) updated information about SSRI’s to include facts about a life-threatening condition called serotonin syndrome. This condition occurs when SSRI’s are taken at the same time as medicines used to treat migraine headaches, called triptans.

Also in July 2006, the FDA release information about a study on the effect SSRI’s may have on pregnancy. The study found that babies born to women who took SSRI’s at least 20 weeks into their pregnancies were 6 times as likely to have persistent pulmonary hypertension (PPHN) than babies born to mothers who did not take SSRI’s during pregnancy.

Babies who are born with PPHN have abnormal blood flow through the heart and lungs and do not get enough oxygen to their bodies. PPHN makes babies very sick and is possibly fatal.

Source: “Citalopram Hydrobromide (marketed as Celexa),” Food and Drug Administration Drug Information Sheet, July 2006; “Sertraline,” MedlinePlus Drug Information Sheet, January 1, 2007.