Sertraline: Characteristics And Effects

In general, the nature and incidence of side effects of sertraline in all its indications are similar, regardless of the age of the patient. 

Sertraline is a drug that belongs to the antidepressant family. Therefore, this medicine is primarily used to treat depression. It is found in the group of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. We’ll tell you more about this throughout this article.

In addition to its antidepressant effects, this drug also exerts effective actions to treat different clinical pictures such as anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and phobia, among others.

In addition, it should be mentioned that the laboratory responsible for its marketing is the American pharmaceutical company Pfizer. She launched this drug commercially in 1991.

The advantages of sertraline over other antidepressants

There are no big differences between sertraline and other newer antidepressants. Most of the benefits of this medication are related to its side effects, which are less numerous.

Several studies suggest that sertraline may work better than fluoxetine in certain cases of depression.

Moreover, it has been shown that in the case of episodes of panic and phobia, sertraline manages to reduce the number of these episodes, thus improving the quality of life of patients.

Depression, what is it?

Since the main indication for this drug is depression, it is good to know what exactly this disease is.

Depression is an emotional disorder characterized by a constant feeling of sadness and a marked lack of interest when it comes to carrying out daily activities. In short, depression affects feelings, thoughts and behaviors.

As to the cause of the disease, with the exception of some cases of depression which are associated with other diseases such as, for example, Parkinson’s disease, the main cause of depression is an alteration of neurotransmitters within the central nervous system. Serotonin is the neurotransmitter that is most involved in the development of depression.

Some researchers consider serotonin to be the chemical responsible for keeping our mood balanced. Serotonin deficiency therefore leads to depressive states.

However, serotonin is not the only neurotransmitter that promotes the onset of this mood disorder. A change in dopamine or norepinephrine levels also promotes the onset of depression.

Generally, depression is the product of the interaction of different factors:

• Biological:  hormonal changes or alterations in the neurotransmitters mentioned
• Psychosocial: continuous stress at work or in personal life
• Personal

What is the effect of sertraline in the body?

As we already know, sertraline is a serotonin reuptake inhibitor. It is highly selective and its effects on norepinephrine reuptake are minimal, unlike many tricyclic antidepressants.

Serotonin, like other neurotransmitters, is secreted by a neuron to join receptors on the membrane of an adjacent neuron to trigger an effect. It then frees itself from these receptors and certain molecules return to the neuron where the secretion originates from via a reuptake process.

It is during this process that sertraline exerts its inhibitory effect. Since serotonin is not recaptured, the concentration of serotonin increases in the presynaptic space, that is to say the space existing between two neurons. As there is more serotonin, the latter can again join the receptors on the membrane of the adjacent neuron and trigger a greater effect.

Moreover, as already commented on previously, sertraline has little affinity with certain receptors for biogenic amines such as norepinephrine. This would explain why it has fewer side effects than other serotonin reuptake inhibitor drugs.

The side effects

Generally, the nature and incidence of the side effects of sertraline in all of its indications are similar, regardless of the age of the patient.

The most common side effects are those that affect the gastrointestinal tract. These include the following:

• Nausea and vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Anorexia
• Dyspepsia
• Other

In short …

The main indication for sertraline is for the treatment of depression. However, this medicine can also be used to treat other disorders such as panic attacks or obsessive-compulsive disorder.

It is essential to always follow the doctor’s instructions to the letter and to consult a doctor or pharmacist if there is any doubt about the disease or the treatment prescribed.