title: Potential medical and surgical complications of serotonergic antidepressant medications.
abstract: Serotonergic antidepressants are the most widely used group of antidepressant medications. Although generally considered to have a favorable adverse-effect profile, serotonergic antidepressants are associated with potentially dangerous medical complications, some of which have only recently become apparent to patients and clinicians. This article reviews the association of serotonergic antidepressants and the following medical complications: syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion, bleeding, serotonin syndrome, serotonin-discontinuation syndrome, and adverse pregnancy and neonatal effects. Physicians need to remain aware of these potential medical complications and integrate this information into their clinical decision-making, informed-consent process, baseline assessment, and follow-up monitoring.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Canada. karl.looper@mcgill.ca
authors.forename: Karl J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Looper
mesh_terms: D000014:Abnormalities, Drug-Induced / Q000209:etiology; D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000139:chemically induced; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007177:Inappropriate ADH Syndrome / Q000139:chemically induced; D008297:Male; D019106:Postoperative Hemorrhage / Q000139:chemically induced*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000139:chemically induced; D012306:Risk; D020230:Serotonin Syndrome / Q000209:etiology; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors