UMEM Educational Pearls

Category: Toxicology

Title: Toxicity of SSRIs

Keywords: SSRI, serotonin, toxicity (PubMed Search)

Posted: 10/25/2007 by Fermin Barrueto, MD (Updated: 3/29/2024)
Click here to contact Fermin Barrueto, MD

SSRI Toxicity

Things to watch for in patients that are taking SSRI:

  • Therapeutic administration usually safe
  • Hyponatremia is a common adverse effect (ADH secretion regulated by serotonin)
  • Serotonin Syndrome is a possibilty in combination with other serotnergic drugs
  • One SSRI is more problematic than the rest => Citalopram and Escitalopram
    • The only SSRI that can cause QT prolongation (even 24hrs after OD) and can cause seizures
    • This is the only SSRI with significant toxicity and unfortunately is the most commonly Rx by psych