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Sertraline

Sertraline hydrochloride (Zoloft®, Lustral®, Apo-Sertral®, Asentra®, Gladem®, Serlift®, Stimuloton®) is an orally administered antidepressant of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) type. Sertraline is used medically mainly to treat the symptoms of depression.

Sertraline is manufactured by Pfizer as small green 25 mg tablets, blue 50 mg tablets, or off-yellow 100 mg tablets. . It is an odorless, white, sparingly soluble crystalline solid. (In Australia it is available as white tablets in 25, 50 or 100mg doses.) It is used in dosages of between 25 mg and a maximum of 200 mg per day. It has also been prescribed for the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, premenstrual dysphoric mood disorder, panic disorder, bipolar disorder and social anxiety. It was first approved by the FDA in 1997.

It has a number of adverse effects including insomnia, asthenia, gastrointestinal complaints, tremours, confusion, and dizziness; it can induce mania or hypomania in around 0.5% of patients. One property of sertraline is that it appears to be also a minor inhibitor of dopamine reuptake. It is contraindicated in individuals taking MAOIs or undergoing electroconvulsive therapy. In June of 2003, Britain banned the use of Zoloft for children under 18 after studies showed a link to increased suicide rates.

Because of its metabolism, liver impairment can affect the elimitation of this drug from the body. If someone with liver impairment is treated with Sertraline, lower or less frequent dosage should be used.

The patent for this brand-name drug will expire in December 2005.

The information above is not intended for and should not be used as a substitute for the diagnosis and/or treatment by a licensed, qualified, health-care professional. This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It incorporates material originating from the Wikipedia article "Sertraline".

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