Understanding Serotonin Syndrome

Photo by: Bigstockphoto
Photo by: Bigstockphoto

Serotonin syndrome refers to potential symptoms caused by life-threatening drug interactions. Serotonin is a hormone released in the brain to regulate mood and behavior. Boosting serotonin in the brain may help treat depression. However, when certain types of medication release too much serotonin, it causes a serious drug reaction. This condition is called serotonin syndrome and it’s common among patients who are prescribed with a drug that increases serotonin level when they are already taking other antidepressants.

Symptoms of Serotonin Syndrome

A patient afflicted with serotonin syndrome will feel confused, exhibit agitated behavior, and suffer from headache, fluctuating blood temperature, as well as rapid heartbeat. He will feel mild twitching, tremors, or even lose muscle coordination. Severe cases of serotonin syndrome are life-threatening. If you or a loved one exhibit the symptoms mentioned above followed by seizures, abnormally high fever, irregular heartbeat, and unconsciousness, call for immediate medical attention.

What Triggers Serotonin Syndrome?

The thing that triggers this condition is mixing different drugs that disrupt the natural flow of hormone serotonin in the brain. If you are taking more drugs or supplements, there is a risk of developing this condition. Increasing your dosage of a certain drug could also cause serotonin syndrome. A class of antidepressants known as Reuptake inhibitors is the likely culprit for a spike in serotonin in the brain. But over-the-counter medication like cough suppressants and drugs meant to treat anxiety disorders or insomnia could also cause abnormal increase in brain hormone.

According to a 2013 review published in the AACN Advanced Critical Care journal, there are 26,733 cases of serotonin syndrome in 2002, as recorded by the Toxic Exposure Surveillance System. Health authorities are expressing their concern over the increased number of serotonin syndrome because so far, there have been 103 deaths caused by the condition, just two years after the study was conducted.

Recognizing the Signs

The key to treating serotonin syndrome successfully is early detection and knowing the signs you have to look out for. To diagnose this condition, a patient’s drug exposure and medication history will be evaluated. Because lab tests aren’t much help when it comes to identifying this condition, your doctor will need to know the patient’s medical history.

If a patient exhibited at least three of the major signs or symptoms of serotonin syndrome, take the patient to a doctor for diagnosis. Blood testing could indicate the spike of serotonin in the body.

Treatment for Serotonin Syndrome

When a person suffers from this condition, he or she will require treatment in a hospital. This way, doctors could monitor the progression of the symptoms within 48 hours. One of the things needed to stop the rising level of serotonin in the brain is to stop all medication the patient has been taking. Most patients are given anxiety drugs like cyproheptadine because it helps stop production of serotonin. Cooling baths may also be required in order to bring down high fevers. The patient will also be hooked to breathing support and blood pressure equipment.