Sertraline Hydrochloride

Generic: SERTRALINE HYDROCHLORIDE

Prescription DrugORAL

Drug Information

Brand Name
Sertraline Hydrochloride
Generic Name
SERTRALINE HYDROCHLORIDE
Manufacturer
Proficient Rx LP
Product Type
Prescription Drug
Route
ORAL
Application Number
00179766-980b-44b0-99d3-1fee2bb27e37

Indications & Usage

INDICATIONS AND USAGE Major Depressive Disorder – Sertraline hydrochloride is indicated for the treatment of major depressive disorder in adults. The efficacy of Sertraline hydrochloride in the treatment of a major depressive episode was established in six to eight week controlled trials of adult outpatients whose diagnoses corresponded most closely to the DSM-III category of major depressive disorder (see Clinical Trials under CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY ). A major depressive episode implies a promin...

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INDICATIONS AND USAGE Major Depressive Disorder – Sertraline hydrochloride is indicated for the treatment of major depressive disorder in adults. The efficacy of Sertraline hydrochloride in the treatment of a major depressive episode was established in six to eight week controlled trials of adult outpatients whose diagnoses corresponded most closely to the DSM-III category of major depressive disorder (see Clinical Trials under CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY ). A major depressive episode implies a prominent and relatively persistent depressed or dysphoric mood that usually interferes with daily functioning (nearly every day for at least 2 weeks); it should include at least 4 of the following 8 symptoms: change in appetite, change in sleep, psychomotor agitation or retardation, loss of interest in usual activities or decrease in sexual drive, increased fatigue, feelings of guilt or worthlessness, slowed thinking or impaired concentration, and a suicide attempt or suicidal ideation. The antidepressant action of sertraline hydrochloride in hospitalized depressed patients has not been adequately studied. The efficacy of sertraline hydrochloride in maintaining an antidepressant response for up to 44 weeks following 8 weeks of open-label acute treatment (52 weeks total) was demonstrated in a placebo-controlled trial. The usefulness of the drug in patients receiving sertraline hydrochloride for extended periods should be reevaluated periodically (see Clinical Trials under CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY ). Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder – Sertraline hydrochloride is indicated for the treatment of obsessions and compulsions in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), as defined in the DSM-III-R; i.e., the obsessions or compulsions cause marked distress, are time-consuming, or significantly interfere with social or occupational functioning. The efficacy of Sertraline hydrochloride was established in 12-week trials with obsessive-compulsive outpatients having diagnoses of obsessive-compulsive disorder as defined according to DSM-III or DSM-III-R criteria (see Clinical Trials under CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY ). Obsessive-compulsive disorder is characterized by recurrent and persistent ideas, thoughts, impulses, or images (obsessions) that are ego-dystonic and/or repetitive, purposeful, and intentional behaviors (compulsions) that are recognized by the person as excessive or unreasonable. The efficacy of Sertraline hydrochloride in maintaining a response, in patients with OCD who responded during a 52-week treatment phase while taking Sertraline hydrochloride and were then observed for relapse during a period of up to 28 weeks, was demonstrated in a placebo-controlled trial (see Clinical Trials under CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY ). Nevertheless, the physician who elects to use Sertraline hydrochloride for extended periods should periodically re-evaluate the long-term usefulness of the drug for the individual patient (see DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION ). Panic Disorder – Sertraline hydrochloride is indicated for the treatment of panic disorder in adults, with or without agoraphobia, as defined in DSM-IV. Panic disorder is characterized by the occurrence of unexpected panic attacks and associated concern about having additional attacks, worry about the implications or consequences of the attacks, and/or a significant change in behavior related to the attacks. The efficacy of Sertraline hydrochloride was established in three 10-12 week trials in adult panic disorder patients whose diagnoses corresponded to the DSM-III-R category of panic disorder (see Clinical Trials under CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY ). Panic disorder (DSM-IV) is characterized by recurrent unexpected panic attacks, i.e., a discrete period of intense fear or discomfort in which four (or more) of the following symptoms develop abruptly and reach a peak within 10 minutes: (1) palpitations, pounding heart, or accelerated heart rate; (2) sweating; (3) trembling or shaking; (4) sensations of shortness of breath or smothering; (5) feeling of choking; (6) chest pain or discomfort; (7) nausea or abdominal distress; (8) feeling dizzy, unsteady, lightheaded, or faint; (9) derealization (feelings of unreality) or depersonalization (being detached from oneself); (10) fear of losing control; (11) fear of dying; (12) paresthesias (numbness or tingling sensations); (13) chills or hot flushes. The efficacy of Sertraline hydrochloride in maintaining a response, in adult patients with panic disorder who responded during a 52-week treatment phase while taking Sertraline hydrochloride and were then observed for relapse during a period of up to 28 weeks, was demonstrated in a placebo-controlled trial (see Clinical Trials under CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY ). Nevertheless, the physician who elects to use Sertraline hydrochloride for extended periods should periodically re-evaluate the long-term usefulness of the drug for the individual patient (see DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION ). Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – Sertraline hydrochloride (sertraline hydrochloride) is indicated for the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder in adults. The efficacy of Sertraline hydrochloride in the treatment of PTSD was established in two 12-week placebo-controlled trials of adult outpatients whose diagnosis met criteria for the DSM-III-R category of PTSD (see Clinical Trials under CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY ). PTSD, as defined by DSM-III-R/IV, requires exposure to a traumatic event that involved actual or threatened death or serious injury, or threat to the physical integrity of self or others, and a response which involves intense fear, helplessness, or horror. Symptoms that occur as a result of exposure to the traumatic event include reexperiencing of the event in the form of intrusive thoughts, flashbacks or dreams, and intense psychological distress and physiological reactivity on exposure to cues to the event; avoidance of situations reminiscent of the traumatic event, inability to recall details of the event, and/or numbing of general responsiveness manifested as diminished interest in significant activities, estrangement from others, restricted range of affect, or sense of foreshortened future; and symptoms of autonomic arousal including hypervigilance, exaggerated startle response, sleep disturbance, impaired concentration, and irritability or outbursts of anger. A PTSD diagnosis requires that the symptoms are present for at least a month and that they cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning. The efficacy of Sertraline hydrochloride in maintaining a response in adult patients with PTSD for up to 28 weeks following 24 weeks of open-label treatment was demonstrated in a placebo-controlled trial. Nevertheless, the physician who elects to use Sertraline hydrochloride for extended periods should periodically re-evaluate the long-term usefulness of the drug for the individual patient (see DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION ). Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) – Sertraline hydrochloride is indicated for the treatment of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) in adults. The efficacy of sertraline hydrochloride in the treatment of PMDD was established in 2 placebo-controlled trials of female adult outpatients treated for 3 menstrual cycles who met criteria for the DSM-IIIR/IV category of PMDD (see Clinical Trials under CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY ). The essential features of PMDD include markedly depressed mood, anxiety or tension, affective lability, and persistent anger or irritability. Other features include decreased interest in activities, difficulty concentrating, lack of energy, change in appetite or sleep, and feeling out of control. Physical symptoms associated with PMDD include breast tenderness, headache, joint and muscle pain, bloating and weight gain. These symptoms occur regularly during the luteal phase and remit within a few days following onset of menses; the disturbance markedly interferes with work or school or with usual social activities and relationships with others. In making the diagnosis, care should be taken to rule out other cyclical mood disorders that may be exacerbated by treatment with an antidepressant. The effectiveness of Sertraline hydrochloride in long-term use, that is, for more than 3 menstrual cycles, has not been systematically evaluated in controlled trials. Therefore, the physician who elects to use Sertraline hydrochloride for extended periods should periodically re-evaluate the long-term usefulness of the drug for the individual patient (see DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION ). Social Anxiety Disorder – Sertraline hydrochloride is indicated for the treatment of social anxiety disorder, also known as social phobia in adults. The efficacy of Sertraline hydrochloride in the treatment of social anxiety disorder was established in two placebo-controlled trials of adult outpatients with a diagnosis of social anxiety disorder as defined by DSM-IV criteria (see Clinical Trials under CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY ). Social anxiety disorder, as defined by DSM-IV, is characterized by marked and persistent fear of social or performance situations involving exposure to unfamiliar people or possible scrutiny by others and by fears of acting in a humiliating or embarrassing way. Exposure to the feared social situation almost always provokes anxiety and feared social or performance situations are avoided or else are endured with intense anxiety or distress. In addition, patients recognize that the fear is excessive or unreasonable and the avoidance and anticipatory anxiety of the feared situation is associated with functional impairment or marked distress. The efficacy of Sertraline hydrochloride in maintaining a response in adult patients with social anxiety disorder for up to 24 weeks following 20 weeks of Sertraline hydrochloride treatment was demonstrated in a placebo-controlled trial. Physicians who prescribe Sertraline hydrochloride for extended periods should periodically reevaluate the long-term usefulness of the drug for the individual patient (see Clinical Trials under CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY ).

Warnings

WARNINGS Clinical Worsening and Suicide Risk Patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), both adult and pediatric, may experience worsening of their depression and/or the emergence of suicidal ideation and behavior (suicidality) or unusual changes in behavior, whether or not they are taking antidepressant medications, and this risk may persist until significant remission occurs. Suicide is a known risk of depression and certain other psychiatric disorders, and these disorders themselves are t...

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WARNINGS Clinical Worsening and Suicide Risk Patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), both adult and pediatric, may experience worsening of their depression and/or the emergence of suicidal ideation and behavior (suicidality) or unusual changes in behavior, whether or not they are taking antidepressant medications, and this risk may persist until significant remission occurs. Suicide is a known risk of depression and certain other psychiatric disorders, and these disorders themselves are the strongest predictors of suicide. There has been a long-standing concern, however, that antidepressants may have a role in inducing worsening of depression and the emergence of suicidality in certain patients during the early phases of treatment. Pooled analyses of short-term placebo-controlled trials of antidepressant drugs (SSRIs and others) showed that these drugs increase the risk of suicidal thinking and behavior (suicidality) in children, adolescents, and young adults (ages 18-24) with major depressive disorder (MDD) and other psychiatric disorders. Short-term studies did not show an increase in the risk of suicidality with antidepressants compared to placebo in adults beyond age 24; there was a reduction with antidepressants compared to placebo in adults aged 65 and older. The pooled analyses of placebo-controlled trials in children and adolescents with MDD, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), or other psychiatric disorders included a total of 24 short-term trials of 9 antidepressant drugs in over 4400 patients. The pooled analyses of placebo-controlled trials in adults with MDD or other psychiatric disorders included a total of 295 short-term trials (median duration of 2 months) of 11 antidepressant drugs in over 77,000 patients. There was considerable variation in risk of suicidality among drugs, but a tendency toward an increase in the younger patients for almost all drugs studied. There were differences in absolute risk of suicidality across the different indications, with the highest incidence in MDD. The risk differences (drug vs placebo), however, were relatively stable within age strata and across indications. These risk differences (drug-placebo difference in the number of cases of suicidality per 1000 patients treated) are provided in Table 1. Table 1 Age Range Drug-Placebo Difference in Number of Cases of Suicidality per 1000 Patients Treated Increases Compared to placebo <18 14 additional cases 18-24 5 additional cases Decreases Compared to placebo 25-64 1 fewer case >65 6 fewer cases No suicides occurred in any of the pediatric trials. There were suicides in the adult trials, but the number was not sufficient to reach any conclusion about drug effect on suicide. It is unknown whether the suicidality risk extends to longer-term use, i.e., beyond several months. However, there is substantial evidence from placebo-controlled maintenance trials in adults with depression that the use of antidepressants can delay the recurrence of depression. All patients being treated with antidepressants for any indication should be monitored appropriately and observed closely for clinical worsening, suicidality, and unusual changes in behavior, especially during the initial few months of a course of drug therapy, or at times of dose changes, either increases or decreases. The following symptoms, anxiety, agitation, panic attacks, insomnia, irritability, hostility, aggressiveness, impulsivity, akathisia (psychomotor restlessness), hypomania, and mania, have been reported in adult and pediatric patients being treated with antidepressants for major depressive disorder as well as for other indications, both psychiatric and nonpsychiatric. Although a causal link between the emergence of such symptoms and either the worsening of depression and/or the emergence of suicidal impulses has not been established, there is concern that such symptoms may represent precursors to emerging suicidality. Consideration should be given to changing the therapeutic regimen, including possibly discontinuing the medication, in patients whose depression is persistently worse, or who are experiencing emergent suicidality or symptoms that might be precursors to worsening depression or suicidality, especially if these symptoms are severe, abrupt in onset, or were not part of the patient's presenting symptoms. If the decision has been made to discontinue treatment, medication should be tapered, as rapidly as is feasible, but with recognition that abrupt discontinuation can be associated with certain symptoms (see PRECAUTIONS and DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION β€”Discontinuation of Treatment with sertraline hydrochloride, for a description of the risks of discontinuation of Sertraline hydrochloride). Families and caregivers of patients being treated with antidepressants for major depressive disorder or other indications, both psychiatric and nonpsychiatric, should be alerted about the need to monitor patients for the emergence of agitation, irritability, unusual changes in behavior, and the other symptoms described above, as well as the emergence of suicidality, and to report such symptoms immediately to health care providers. Such monitoring should include daily observation by families and caregivers. Prescriptions for Sertraline hydrochloride should be written for the smallest quantity of tablets consistent with good patient management, in order to reduce the risk of overdose. Screening Patients for Bipolar Disorder: A major depressive episode may be the initial presentation of bipolar disorder. It is generally believed (though not established in controlled trials) that treating such an episode with an antidepressant alone may increase the likelihood of precipitation of a mixed/manic episode in patients at risk for bipolar disorder. Whether any of the symptoms described above represent such a conversion is unknown. However, prior to initiating treatment with an antidepressant, patients with depressive symptoms should be adequately screened to determine if they are at risk for bipolar disorder; such screening should include a detailed psychiatric history, including a family history of suicide, bipolar disorder, and depression. It should be noted that sertraline hydrochloride is not approved for use in treating bipolar depression. Serotonin Syndrome: The development of a potentially life-threatening serotonin syndrome has been reported with SNRIs and SSRIs, including Sertraline hydrochloride, alone but particularly with concomitant use of other serotonergic drugs (including triptans, tricyclic antidepressants, fentanyl, lithium, tramadol, tryptophan, buspirone, and St. John's Wort) and with drugs that impair metabolism of serotonin (in particular, MAOIs, both those intended to treat psychiatric disorders and also others, such as linezolid and intravenous methylene blue). Serotonin syndrome symptoms may include mental status changes (e.g., agitation, hallucinations, delirium, and coma), autonomic instability (e.g., tachycardia, labile blood pressure, dizziness, diaphoresis, flushing, hyperthermia), neuromuscular symptoms(e.g., tremor, rigidity, myoclonus, hyperreflexia, incoordination), seizures, and/or gastrointestinal symptoms (e.g., nausea, vomiting, diarrhea). Patients should be monitored for the emergence of serotonin syndrome. The concomitant use of sertraline hydrochloride with MAOIs intended to treat psychiatric disorders is contraindicated. Sertraline hydrochloride should also not be started in a patient who is being treated with MAOIs such as linezolid or intravenous methylene blue. All reports with methylene blue that provided information on the route of administration involved intravenous administration in the dose range of 1 mg/kg to 8 mg/kg. No reports involved the administration of methylene blue by other routes (such as oral tablets or local tissue injection) or at lower doses. There may be circumstances when it is necessary to initiate treatment with a MAOI such as linezolid or intravenous methylene blue in a patient taking sertraline hydrochloride. Sertraline hydrochloride should be discontinued before initiating treatment with the MAOI (see CONTRAINDICATIONS and DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION ). If concomitant use of sertraline hydrochloride with other serotonergic drugs including triptans, tricyclic antidepressants, fentanyl, lithium, tramadol, buspirone, tryptophan, and St. John's Wort is clinically warranted, patients should be made aware of a potential increased risk for serotonin syndrome, particularly during treatment initiation and dose increases. Treatment with Sertraline hydrochloride and any concomitant serotonergic agents should be discontinued immediately if the above events occur and supportive symptomatic treatment should be initiated. Angle-Closure Glaucoma: The pupillary dilation that occurs following use of many antidepressant drugs including sertraline may trigger an angle closure attack in a patient with anatomically narrow angles who does not have a patent iridectomy.

Adverse Reactions

ADVERSE REACTIONS During its premarketing assessment, multiple doses of sertraline hydrochloride were administered to over 4000 adult subjects as of February 18, 2000. The conditions and duration of exposure to sertraline hydrochloride varied greatly, and included (in overlapping categories) clinical pharmacology studies, open and double-blind studies, uncontrolled and controlled studies, inpatient and outpatient studies, fixed-dose and titration studies, and studies for multiple indications, in...

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ADVERSE REACTIONS During its premarketing assessment, multiple doses of sertraline hydrochloride were administered to over 4000 adult subjects as of February 18, 2000. The conditions and duration of exposure to sertraline hydrochloride varied greatly, and included (in overlapping categories) clinical pharmacology studies, open and double-blind studies, uncontrolled and controlled studies, inpatient and outpatient studies, fixed-dose and titration studies, and studies for multiple indications, including major depressive disorder and PMDD. Untoward events associated with this exposure were recorded by clinical investigators using terminology of their own choosing. Consequently, it is not possible to provide a meaningful estimate of the proportion of individuals experiencing adverse events without first grouping similar types of untoward events into a smaller number of standardized event categories. In the tabulations that follow, a World Health Organization dictionary of terminology has been used to classify reported adverse events. The frequencies presented, therefore, represent the proportion of the over 4000 adult individuals exposed to multiple doses of sertraline hydrochloride who experienced a treatment-emergent adverse event of the type cited on at least one occasion while receiving sertraline hydrochloride. An event was considered treatment-emergent if it occurred for the first time or worsened while receiving therapy following baseline evaluation. It is important to emphasize that events reported during therapy were not necessarily caused by it. The prescriber should be aware that the figures in the tables and tabulations cannot be used to predict the incidence of side effects in the course of usual medical practice where patient characteristics and other factors differ from those that prevailed in the clinical trials. Similarly, the cited frequencies cannot be compared with figures obtained from other clinical investigations involving different treatments, uses, and investigators. The cited figures, however, do provide the prescribing physician with some basis for estimating the relative contribution of drug and nondrug factors to the side effect incidence rate in the population studied. Incidence in Placebo-Controlled Trials – Table 2 enumerates the most common treatment-emergent adverse events associated with the use of Sertraline hydrochloride (incidence of at least 5% for Sertraline hydrochloride and at least twice that for placebo within at least one of the indications) for the treatment of adult patients with major depressive disorder/other*, OCD, panic disorder, PTSD, PMDD and social anxiety disorder in placebo-controlled clinical trials. Most patients in major depressive disorder/other*, OCD, panic disorder, PTSD and social anxiety disorder studies received doses of 50 to 200 mg/day. Patients in the PMDD study with daily dosing throughout the menstrual cycle received doses of 50 to 150 mg/day, and in the PMDD study with dosing during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle received doses of 50 to 100 mg/day. Table 3 enumerates treatment-emergent adverse events that occurred in 2% or more of adult patients treated with Sertraline hydrochloride and with incidence greater than placebo who participated in controlled clinical trials comparing Sertraline hydrochloride with placebo in the treatment of major depressive disorder/other*, OCD, panic disorder, PTSD, PMDD and social anxiety disorder. Table 3 provides combined data for the pool of studies that are provided separately by indication in Table 2. TABLE 2 MOST COMMON TREATMENT-EMERGENT ADVERSE EVENTS: INCIDENCE IN PLACEBO-CONTROLLED CLINICAL TRIALS *Major depressive disorder and other premarketing controlled trials. (1) Primarily ejaculatory delay. Denominator used was for male patients only (N=271 sertraline hydrochloride major depressive disorder/other*; N=271 placebo major depressive disorder/other*; N=296 sertraline hydrochloride OCD; N=219 placebo OCD; N=216 sertraline hydrochloride panic disorder; N=134 placebo panic disorder; N=130 sertraline hydrochloride PTSD; N=149 placebo PTSD; No male patients in PMDD studies; N=205 sertraline hydrochloride social anxiety disorder; N=153 placebo social anxiety disorder). (2) The luteal phase and daily dosing PMDD trials were not designed for making direct comparisons between the two dosing regimens. Therefore, a comparison between the two dosing regimens of the PMDD trials of incidence rates shown in Table 2 should be avoided. Percentage of Patients Reporting Event Major Depressive Disorder/Other* OCD Panic Disorder PTSD Body System/Adverse Event Sertraline (N=861) Placebo (N=853) Sertraline (N=533) Placebo (N=373) Sertraline (N=430) Placebo (N=275) Sertraline (N=374) Placebo (N=376) Autonomic Nervous System Disorders Ejaculation Failure (1) 7 <1 17 2 19 1 11 1 Mouth Dry 16 9 14 9 15 10 11 6 Sweating Increased 8 3 6 1 5 1 4 2 Center. & Peripheral. Nervous. System Disorders Somnolence 13 6 15 8 15 9 13 9 Tremor 11 3 8 1 5 1 5 1 Dizziness 12 7 17 9 10 10 8 5 General Fatigue 11 8 14 10 11 6 10 5 Pain 1 2 3 1 3 3 4 6 Malaise <1 1 1 1 7 14 10 10 Gastrointestinal Disorders Abdominal Pain 2 2 5 5 6 7 6 5 Anorexia 3 2 11 2 7 2 8 2 Constipation 8 6 6 4 7 3 3 3 Diarrhea/Loose Stools 18 9 24 10 20 9 24 15 Dyspepsia 6 3 10 4 10 8 6 6 Nausea 26 12 30 11 29 18 21 11 Psychiatric Disorders Agitation 6 4 6 3 6 2 5 5 Insomnia 16 9 28 12 25 18 20 11 Libido Decreased 1 <1 11 2 7 1 7 2 Percentage of Patients Reporting Event PMDD Daily Dosing PMDD Luteal Phase Dosing (2) Social Anxiety Disorder Body System/Adverse Event Sertraline (N=121) Placebo (N=122) Sertraline (N=136) Placebo (N=127) Sertraline (N=344) Placebo (N=268) Autonomic Nervous System Disorders Ejaculation Failure (1) N/A N/A N/A N/A 14 - Mouth Dry 6 3 10 3 12 4 Sweating Increased 6 <1 3 0 11 2 Center. & Peripheral. Nervous. System Disorders Somnolence 7 <1 2 0 9 6 Tremor 2 0 <1 <1 9 3 Dizziness 6 3 7 5 14 6 General Fatigue 16 7 10 <1 12 6 Pain 6 <1 3 2 1 3 Malaise 9 5 7 5 8 3 Gastrointestinal Disorders Abdominal Pain 7 <1 3 3 5 5 Anorexia 3 2 5 0 6 3 Constipation 2 3 1 2 5 3 Diarrhea/Loose Stools 13 3 13 7 21 8 Dyspepsia 7 2 7 3 13 5 Nausea 23 9 13 3 22 8 Psychiatric Disorders Agitation 2 <1 1 0 4 2 Insomnia 17 11 12 10 25 10 Libido Decreased 11 2 4 2 9 3 TABLE 3 TREATMENT-EMERGENT ADVERSE EVENTS: INCIDENCE IN PLACEBO-CONTROLLED CLINICAL TRIALSPercentage of Patients Reporting Event Major Depressive Disorder/Other*, OCD, Panic Disorder, PTSD, PMDD and Social Anxiety Disorder combined (1) Primarily ejaculatory delay. Denominator used was for male patients only (N=1118 Sertraline hydrochloride; N=926 placebo). *Major depressive disorder and other premarketing controlled trials. **Included are events reported by at least 2% of patients taking Sertraline hydrochloride except the following events, which had an incidence on placebo greater than or equal to Sertraline hydrochloride: abdominal pain, back pain, flatulence, malaise, pain, pharyngitis, respiratory disorder, upper respiratory tract infection. Body System/Adverse Event** Sertraline (N=2799) Placebo (N=2394) Autonomic Nervous System Disorders Ejaculation Failure (1) 14 1 Mouth Dry 14 8 Sweating Increased 7 2 Center. & Periph. Nerv. System Disorders Somnolence 13 7 Dizziness 12 7 Headache 25 23 Paresthesia 2 1 Tremor 8 2 Disorders of Skin and Appendages Rash 3 2 Gastrointestinal Disorders Anorexia 6 2 Constipation 6 4 Diarrhea/Loose Stools 20 10 Dyspepsia 8 4 Nausea 25 11 Vomiting 4 2 General Fatigue 12 7 Psychiatric Disorders Agitation 5 3 Anxiety 4 3 Insomnia 21 11 Libido Decreased 6 2 Nervousness 5 4 Special Senses Vision Abnormal 3 2 Associated with Discontinuation in Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trials Table 4 lists the adverse events associated with discontinuation of Sertraline hydrochloride treatment (incidence at least twice that for placebo and at least 1% for Sertraline hydrochloride in clinical trials) in major depressive disorder/other*, OCD, panic disorder, PTSD, PMDD, and social anxiety disorder. TABLE 4 MOST COMMON ADVERSE EVENTS ASSOCIATED WITH DISCONTINUATION IN PLACEBO-CONTROLLED CLINICAL TRIALS (1)Primarily ejaculatory delay. Denominator used was for male patients only (N=271 major depressive disorder/other*; N=296 OCD; N=216 panic disorder; N=130 PTSD; No male patients in PMDD studies; N=205 social anxiety disorder). *Major depressive disorder and other premarketing controlled trials. Adverse Event Major Depressive Disorder/Other*, OCD, panic Disorder, PSTD, PMDD and Social Anxiety Disorder combined (N=2799) Major Depressive Disorder/ Other* (N=861) OCD (N=533) Panic Disorder (N=430) PTSD (N=374) PMDD Daily Dosing (N=121) PMDD Luteal Phase Dosing (N=136) Social Anxiety Disorder (N=344) Abdominal Pain – – – – – – – 1% Agitation – 1% – 2% – – – – Anxiety – – – – – – – 2% Diarrhea/ Loose Stools 2% 2% 2% 1% – 2% – – Dizziness – – 1% – – – – – Dry Mouth – 1% – – – – – – Dyspepsia – – – 1% – – – – Ejaculation Failure (1) 1% 1% 1% 2% – N/A N/A 2% Fatigue – – – – – – – 2% Headache 1% 2% – – 1% – – 2% Hot Flushes – – – – – – 1% – Insomnia 2% 1% 3% 2% – – 1% 3% Nausea 3% 4% 3% 3% 2% 2% 1% 2% Nervousness – – – – – 2% – – Palpitation – – – – – – 1% – Somnolence 1% 1% 2% 2% – – – – Tremor – 2% – – – – – – Male and Female Sexual Dysfunction with SSRIs Although changes in sexual desire, sexual performance and sexual satisfaction often occur as manifestations of a psychiatric disorder, they may also be a consequence of pharmacologic treatment. In particular, some evidence suggests that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) can cause such untoward sexual experiences. Reliable estimates of the incidence and severity of untoward experiences involving sexual desire, performance and satisfaction are difficult to obtain, however, in part because patients and physicians may be reluctant to discuss them. Accordingly, estimates of the incidence of untoward sexual experience and performance cited in product labeling, are likely to underestimate their actual incidence. Table 5 below displays the incidence of sexual side effects reported by at least 2% of patients taking Sertraline hydrochloride in placebo-controlled trials. TABLE 5 *Denominator used was for male patients only (N=1118 Sertraline hydrochloride; N=926 placebo) **Denominator used was for male and female patients (N=2799 Sertraline hydrochloride; N=2394 placebo) Adverse Event Sertraline Placebo Ejaculation failure*(primarily delayed ejaculation) 14% 1% Decreased libido** 6% 1% There are no adequate and well-controlled studies examining sexual dysfunction with sertraline treatment. Priapism has been reported with all SSRIs. While it is difficult to know the precise risk of sexual dysfunction associated with the use of SSRIs, physicians should routinely inquire about such possible side effects. Other Adverse Events in Pediatric Patients –In over 600 pediatric patients treated with Sertraline hydrochloride, the overall profile of adverse events was generally similar to that seen in adult studies. However, the following adverse events, from controlled trials, not appearing in Tables 2 and 3, were reported at an incidence of at least 2% and occurred at a rate of at least twice the placebo rate (N=281 patients treated with Sertraline hydrochloride): fever, hyperkinesia, urinary incontinence, aggressive reaction, sinusitis, epistaxis and purpura. Other Events Observed During the Premarketing Evaluation of Sertraline hydrochloride –Following is a list of treatment-emergent adverse events reported during premarketing assessment of Sertraline hydrochloride in clinical trials (over 4000 adult subjects) except those already listed in the previous tables or elsewhere in labeling. In the tabulations that follow, a World Health Organization dictionary of terminology has been used to classify reported adverse events. The frequencies presented, therefore, represent the proportion of the over 4000 adult individuals exposed to multiple doses of Sertraline hydrochloride who experienced an event of the type cited on at least one occasion while receiving Sertraline hydrochloride. All events are included except those already listed in the previous tables or elsewhere in labeling and those reported in terms so general as to be uninformative and those for which a causal relationship to Sertraline hydrochloride treatment seemed remote. It is important to emphasize that although the events reported occurred during treatment with Sertraline hydrochloride, they were not necessarily caused by it. Events are further categorized by body system and listed in order of decreasing frequency according to the following definitions: frequent adverse events are those occurring on one or more occasions in at least 1/100 patients; infrequent adverse events are those occurring in 1/100 to 1/1000 patients; rare events are those occurring in fewer than 1/1000 patients. Events of major clinical importance are also described in the PRECAUTIONS section. Autonomic Nervous System Disorders – Frequent: impotence; Infrequent: flushing, increased saliva, cold clammy skin, mydriasis; Rare: pallor, glaucoma, priapism, vasodilation. Body as a Whole – General Disorders – Rare: allergic reaction, allergy. Cardiovascular – Frequent: palpitations, chest pain; Infrequent: hypertension, tachycardia, postural dizziness, postural hypotension, periorbital edema, peripheral edema, hypotension, peripheral ischemia, syncope, edema, dependent edema; Rare: precordial chest pain, substernal chest pain, aggravated hypertension, myocardial infarction, cerebrovascular disorder. Central and Peripheral Nervous System Disorders – Frequent: hypertonia, hypoesthesia; Infrequent: twitching, confusion, hyperkinesia, vertigo, ataxia, migraine, abnormal coordination, hyperesthesia, leg cramps, abnormal gait, nystagmus, hypokinesia; Rare: dysphonia, coma, dyskinesia, hypotonia, ptosis, choreoathetosis, hyporeflexia. Disorders of Skin and Appendages – Infrequent: pruritus, acne, urticaria, alopecia, dry skin, erythematous rash, photosensitivity reaction, maculopapular rash; Rare: follicular rash, eczema, dermatitis, contact dermatitis, bullous eruption, hypertrichosis, skin discoloration, pustular rash. Endocrine Disorders – Rare: exophthalmos, gynecomastia. Gastrointestinal Disorders – Frequent: appetite increased; Infrequent: dysphagia, tooth caries aggravated, eructation, esophagitis, gastroenteritis; Rare: melena, glossitis, gum hyperplasia, hiccup, stomatitis, tenesmus, colitis, diverticulitis, fecal incontinence, gastritis, rectum hemorrhage, hemorrhagic peptic ulcer, proctitis, ulcerative stomatitis, tongue edema, tongue ulceration. General–Frequent: back pain, asthenia, malaise, weight increase; Infrequent: fever, rigors, generalized edema; Rare: face edema, aphthous stomatitis. Hearing and Vestibular Disorders – Rare: hyperacusis, labyrinthine disorder. Hematopoietic and Lymphatic – Rare: anemia, anterior chamber eye hemorrhage. Liver and Biliary System Disorders – Rare: abnormal hepatic function. Metabolic and Nutritional Disorders – Infrequent: thirst; Rare: hypoglycemia, hypoglycemia reaction. Musculoskeletal System Disorders – Frequent: myalgia; Infrequent: arthralgia, dystonia, arthrosis, muscle cramps, muscle weakness. Psychiatric Disorders – Frequent: yawning, other male sexual dysfunction, other female sexual dysfunction; Infrequent: depression, amnesia, paroniria, teeth-grinding, emotional lability, apathy, abnormal dreams, euphoria, paranoid reaction, hallucination, aggressive reaction, aggravated depression, delusions; Rare: withdrawal syndrome, suicide ideation, libido increased, somnambulism, illusion. Reproductive – Infrequent: menstrual disorder, dysmenorrhea, intermenstrual bleeding, vaginal hemorrhage, amenorrhea, leukorrhea; Rare: female breast pain, menorrhagia, balanoposthitis, breast enlargement, atrophic vaginitis, acute female mastitis. Respiratory System Disorders – Frequent: rhinitis; Infrequent: coughing, dyspnea, upper respiratory tract infection, epistaxis, bronchospasm, sinusitis; Rare: hyperventilation, bradypnea, stridor, apnea, bronchitis, hemoptysis, hypoventilation, laryngismus, laryngitis. Special Senses – Frequent: tinnitus; Infrequent: conjunctivitis, earache, eye pain, abnormal accommodation; Rare: xerophthalmia, photophobia, diplopia, abnormal lacrimation, scotoma, visual field defect. Urinary System Disorders – Infrequent: micturition frequency, polyuria, urinary retention, dysuria, nocturia, urinary incontinence; Rare: cystitis, oliguria, pyelonephritis, hematuria, renal pain, strangury. Laboratory Tests –In man, asymptomatic elevations in serum transaminases (SGOT [or AST] and SGPT [or ALT]) have been reported infrequently (approximately 0.8%) in association with sertraline hydrochloride administration. These hepatic enzyme elevations usually occurred within the first 1 to 9 weeks of drug treatment and promptly diminished upon drug discontinuation. Sertraline hydrochloride therapy was associated with small mean increases in total cholesterol (approximately 3%) and triglycerides (approximately 5%), and a small mean decrease in serum uric acid (approximately 7%) of no apparent clinical importance. The safety profile observed with Sertraline hydrochloride treatment in patients with major depressive disorder, OCD, panic disorder, PTSD, PMDD and social anxiety disorder is similar. Other Events Observed During the Postmarketing Evaluation of Sertraline hydrochloride –Reports of adverse events temporally associated with Sertraline hydrochloride that have been received since market introduction, that are not listed above and that may have no causal relationship with the drug, include the following: acute renal failure, anaphylactoid reaction, angioedema, blindness, optic neuritis, cataract, increased coagulation times, bradycardia, AV block, atrial arrhythmias, QT-interval prolongation, ventricular tachycardia (including torsade de pointes-type arrhythmias), hypothyroidism, agranulocytosis, aplastic anemia and pancytopenia, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, lupus-like syndrome, serum sickness, hyperglycemia, galactorrhea, hyperprolactinemia, extrapyramidal symptoms, oculogyric crisis, psychosis, pulmonary hypertension, severe skin reactions, which potentially can be fatal, such as Stevens-Johnson syndrome, vasculitis, photosensitivity and other severe cutaneous disorders, rare reports of pancreatitis, and liver eventsβ€”clinical features (which in the majority of cases appeared to be reversible with discontinuation of sertraline hydrochloride) occurring in one or more patients include: elevated enzymes, increased bilirubin, hepatomegaly, hepatitis, jaundice, abdominal pain, vomiting, liver failure and death.

Medical Disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a licensed healthcare provider before making any decisions about your medications. Data sourced from openFDA.