Who is at risk for serotonin syndrome

Your doctor may begin by reviewing your medical history and symptoms. This information can help your doctor make a more accurate diagnosis. Your doctor will usually perform several other tests. These will help your doctor find out if certain organs or body functions have been affected. They can also help your doctor rule out other conditions. A condition known as neuroleptic malignant syndrome also has similar symptoms.

If you have a very mild case of serotonin syndrome, your doctor may only advise you to immediately stop taking the medication causing the problem.

At the hospital, your doctor will closely monitor your condition. You might also receive the following treatments:. In severe cases, a doctor may recommend using cyproheptadine, which is an antidote. Experts have not yet proven that cyproheptadine is effective, but doctors appear to have used it successfully in people who did not respond to other treatment.

In severe cases, serotonin syndrome can result in:. In some cases, it can be fatal. If this happens, it is usually within 24 hours of exposure. The outlook for serotonin syndrome is good if a person receives a prompt diagnosis and treatment. A person who has no symptoms 6 to 8 hours after exposure is unlikely to experience severe poisoning. You cannot always prevent serotonin syndrome. This is especially important right after you start a new medication or right after your doctor increases your dosage.

Serotonin syndrome is a type of poisoning that can occur if a person takes too much of a medication that boosts serotonin levels or if they combine two such drugs. Werneke U, et al. Conundrums in neurology: Diagnosing serotonin syndrome — a meta-analysis of cases. BMC Neurology. Bartlett D. Drug-induced serotonin syndrome.

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Demystifying serotonin syndrome or serotonin toxicity. Canadian Family Physician. Access to the following regional pathways is localised for each region and access is limited to health providers. Looking for Where to get medical help A health professional or service Patient portals Newsletters View all. Serotonin syndrome Print A A A. She has experience in hospital pharmacy in New Zealand and in the UK, and was previously a medical writer for Elsevier in The Netherlands. Washington Post.

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