Zoloft Side Effects Blog

The journal Stroke Magazine published a clinical study about depressed women prescribed with antidepressant medication such as Zoloft as having a high risk of suffering from potential stroke

An internist of Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Dr. Kathryn Rexrode spearheaded the clinical study.  She says that there is something about being depressed that increases the risk of stroke, which is a similar case to those who suffer from asthma.

According to the World Health organization (WHO), depressionis a common mental disorder with depressed mood, loss of interest or pleasure,feelings of guilt or low self-worth, disturbed sleep or appetite, low energy,and poor concentration.

Among study participants, statistics show that those who had depression were 29 percent more likely to suffer a stroke over a six-year period.

About 39 percent increase in stroke-related depression was monitored with those women who took an antidepressant medication such as the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor like Zoloft.

SSRI is a class ofantidepressant drug which is primarily used in the treatment of major depressive illness, anxiety disorders, the depressed phase of bipolar disorderand psychotic.  SSRIs have fewer side effects compared with the cyclic compounds.The SSRIs has lesser side effects than the cycling compounds  It also saysthat enhanced serotonin transmission can lead to several common side effects such as anxiety, agitation, akathisia, nausea, insomnia, and sexualdysfunction, especially diminished sexual drive or difficulty achieving an erection or orgasm. What also being said that enhanced serotonin transmission can lead to several common side effects such as anxiety, agitation, akathisia,nausea, insomnia, and sexual dysfunction, especially diminished sexual drive of difficulty achieving erection or orgasm.

Dr. Rexrode said that antidepressant is not the major contributor of the risk of patients suffering from stroke rather the connectionexists because those who take these medications ma have more severe depression.

Depression may also be linked to inflammation in the body,which increases the risk of stroke, as well as other conditions or underlying vascular disease in the brain, said study researcher An Pan, of Harvard Schoolof Public Health.

To create awarenessof what can cause the intake of these medications and the possible consequencesis the main objective of the clinical study conducted by the team of Dr.Rexrode not to discourage people from taking such medication.

Patients prescribed with antidepressant medication such as Zoloft and noticed that their depressionhas worsened instead of being treated; the patient may consider filing a Zoloft lawsuit.

REFERENCES:

www.myhealthnewsdaily.com/depression-increases-stroke-risk-1792/

www.who.int/mental_health/management/depression/definition/en/

www.news-medical.net/news/20110812/Women-with-depression-at-higher-risk-of-stroke.aspx