2006 issue 2

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Volume 22, issue 2

Review article

„Serotonin Syndrome”

Jan Jaracz1, Karolina Gattner1
1. Klinika Psychiatrii Dorosłych Akademii Medycznej w Poznaniu
Farmakoterapia w Psychiatrii i Neurologii, 2006, 2, 111–117
Keywords: serotonin, serotonin syndrome, SSRI

Abstract

Serotonin syndrome is considered as a potentially fatal complication of serotoninergic drug therapy. Sometimes it can be adverse drug reaction that results from therapeutic drug use, but more often it is caused by intentional self-poisoning, or inadvertent interactions between drugs. The symptoms usually involve altered mental status, neuromuscular abnormalities, and autonomic dysfunction. Clinical manifestation of the serotonin syndrome may range from barely perceptible to lethal but in most cases there is a good prognosis when medication is discontinued.
A rewiev of case reports of serotonin syndrome published during last decade was presented and possible patomechanisms were discussed.

Address for correspondence:
Karolina Gattner
ul. Śniegockiego 8
Poznań 60-681
tel.: 603-999-607
email: karolina.gattner@op.pl