The regulating body, U.S. Food and Drug Association (FDA) is responsible for updates and reviews on products and medications that consumers should look out for. They should disseminate the information to the public for awareness. Zoloft is one of the medications that the U.S. FDA reviewed. It has been reported that the use of Zoloft may increase risk of spontaneous abortion as well as other serious side effects. The FDA has released a public health advisory because short term studies in children and adolescents also revealed that this medication can increase the risk of suicide. 

The Truth on Zoloft

Zoloft, with generic name Sertraline Hydrochloride is an anti-depressant medication belonging to the SSRI class of drugs which acts towards a specific neurotransmitter in the brain called serotonin. Depression results from decreased serotonin while mania results if high levels of serotonin are found in the brain. This is primarily used to treat depression but also a number of other conditions such as Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Panic disorder, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Social Phobia .

Certain precautions are needed when taking this drug. Initially, the individual needs to inform the doctor or pharmacist if he or she is allergic to the drug or any of its components. It is also very important not to have it taken together with MAO Inhibitors. MAOI medications is another classification of anti-depressants but one should remember to not take it with Zoloft or should wait at least 14 days because a serious reaction can take place. Zoloft should also be avoided by patients with liver and blood disorders because it can worsen the condition. A number of precautions and contraindications should be noted but these are some of the important ones.

Side effects are common in almost every drug and that does not exclude Zoloft. More common side effects that are also found in other antidepressants are sleepiness, nervousness, headache, dizziness, nausea, tremor and etc. The onset of mania may be triggered by this medication so using this patients with bipolar disorder is not advised. Some of the serious side effects to be noted are irregular heartbeats, chest pain, severe allergic reactions, bloody stools, suicidal thoughts and attempts and worsening of the condition.

Warnings were released by the FDA in the use of Zoloft for pregnant women and those of the childbearing age as birth defects caused by Zoloft have been reported most especially when taken in the third trimester of pregnancy. Serious birth defects such as heart malformations, lung defects and skull deformities are among the ones mentioned. As a whole, medications under the SSRI classification are believed to produce lesser side effects compared to other drug classes but extensive research needs to prove this point.

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