title: Serotonin syndrome in stroke patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Serotonin syndrome is a potentially life-threatening condition that can be caused by administration of agents that increase serotonergic activity in the brain. We report here on 2 stroke patients who presented with serotonin syndrome following administration of dopaminergic agents.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two stroke patients were administered ropinirole (patient 1) and carbidopa/levodopa (patient 2) during rehabilitation. Both patients exhibited the clinical features of serotonin syndrome, coinciding with an increase in dosage of each drug. Based on the clinical features included in revised Radomski's criteria, they presented with 3 major symptoms with 3 and 2 minor symptoms, respectively. The drugs that were thought to trigger serotonin syndrome were discontinued and the patients underwent conservative treatment. The patients recovered completely from the symptoms of serotonin syndrome appearing 2 days after administration of the trigger drugs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Because a considerable number of stroke patients have some limitation in communication, and serotonin syndrome is a potentially life-threatening condition, clinicians should pay particular attention to the potential for development of serotonin syndrome when prescribing these drugs to stroke patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, College of Medicine, Yeungnam University , Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sung Ho
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.forename: Yong Min
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: Min Cheol
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D002230:Carbidopa / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018491:Dopamine Agonists / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004338:Drug Combinations; D006801:Humans; D007211:Indoles / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007980:Levodopa / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020230:Serotonin Syndrome / Q000209:etiology*; D020521:Stroke / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D018491:Dopamine Agonists; D004338:Drug Combinations; D007211:Indoles; C009265:carbidopa, levodopa drug combination; C046649:ropinirole; D007980:Levodopa; D002230:Carbidopa