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Serotonin Syndrome

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Essentials of Pharmacology for Anesthesia, Pain Medicine, and Critical Care

Abstract

Serotonin syndrome is a potentially life-threatening syndrome associated with drug-induced changes in serotonin receptor sensitivities in the central nervous system. Mental status changes, neuromuscular hyperactivity, and autonomic dysfunction characterize the syndrome and can range from benign to lethal. Serotonin syndrome typically results from therapeutic use of two or more serotonergic drugs. However, commonly prescribed serotonergic drugs may interact with medications and drugs used in anesthetic and critical care practice to precipitate serotonin syndrome. It is important to identify the patient at risk, as well as the clinical features of serotonin syndrome should they develop. Prompt recognition of the signs and symptoms of serotonin syndrome is essential for efficient diagnosis and treatment of this rare, yet preventable condition.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anesthesiology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA

    Julie A. Gayle MD & Alan David Kaye MD, PhD

  2. Department of Anesthesiology, Alton Ochsner Clinic, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA

    Jacqueline Volpi Abadie MD

  3. Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, University of the Pacific, 3601 Pacific Avenue, Stockton, CA, 95211, USA

    Adam M. Kaye PharmD

  4. Department of Anesthesiology, Tulane Medical Center, New Orleans, LA, USA

    Alan David Kaye MD, PhD

Authors
  1. Julie A. Gayle MD
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  2. Jacqueline Volpi Abadie MD
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  3. Adam M. Kaye PharmD
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  4. Alan David Kaye MD, PhD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Julie A. Gayle MD .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Anesthesiology and Pharmacology, LSU Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

    Alan David Kaye

  2. Department of Pharmacy Practice, Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Stockton, California, USA

    Adam M. Kaye

  3. Center for Perioperative Management and Medical Informatics, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

    Richard D. Urman

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Gayle, J.A., Abadie, J.V., Kaye, A.M., Kaye, A.D. (2015). Serotonin Syndrome. In: Kaye, A., Kaye, A., Urman, R. (eds) Essentials of Pharmacology for Anesthesia, Pain Medicine, and Critical Care. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-8948-1_49

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-8948-1_49

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4614-8947-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-8948-1

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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