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Drugs and Medicinal Substances

Sertraline

Nervous System Agents

Sertraline, sold under the brand name Zoloft among others, is an antidepressant medication of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) class used to treat major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, and premenstrual dysphoric disorder.

Facts
Drug Class
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) 1
Mechanism of Action
Inhibits neuronal reuptake of serotonin by binding to the serotonin transporter (SERT), potentiating serotonergic activity in the central nervous system. 1
Approved Use
Treats major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, OCD, panic disorder and premenstrual dysphoric disorder. 1
First Approved / Isolated Year
1991 1
Significant Risk
Nausea, diarrhea, headache, insomnia and sexual dysfunction; may increase suicidal thoughts in people under 25; raises risk of congenital heart defects if taken during pregnancy. 1
Classification
Approval Status
Discontinued 1
ATC ClassSourced to the subject's own account
N: Nervous System 2
Route of Administration
Oral 3
Connections

Treats

Anxiety Disorder, Conditions
Source Sertraline (Wikipedia)
Depression, Conditions
Source Sertraline (Wikipedia)
Sources
1. Sertraline (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia Foundation
  • Lead section
    used to treat major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder
  • Infobox, drug class
    Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI)
  • Mechanism of action section
    binding to the serotonin transporter (SERT)
  • History section
    1991 (FDA approval in the United States)
  • Adverse effects section
    may increase suicidal thoughts in individuals under 25 years
  • Lead section, approval-status statement
    In some patients, sexual dysfunction may persist even after the drug is discontinued, a condition known as post-SSRI sexual dysfunction; regulatory agencies including the European Medicines Agency and Health Canada have recommended that sertraline's product labeling warn of this risk.
View the Source
2. Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification System (Wikipedia)
WikipediaFirst-level anatomical group codes, Code N
Quote, First-level anatomical group codes, Code N
Nervous system
View the Source
3. Sertraline (Wikipedia)
WikipediaInfobox drug, routes_of_administration
Quote, Infobox drug, routes_of_administration
By mouth
View the Source
Frequently Asked Questions

How does sertraline work in the body?

It binds the serotonin transporter (SERT), blocking serotonin reuptake and increasing serotonergic activity.

Sertraline is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). By binding to the serotonin transporter (SERT) it inhibits neuronal reuptake of serotonin and potentiates serotonergic activity in the central nervous system. It was approved in the United States in 1991 and is used for conditions including major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder and social anxiety disorder.
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