Sertraline (antidepressant Psychotropic Drug): Characteristics, Uses And Effects
The sertraline It is one of the substances that can be used for the treatment of major depressive disorders, and belongs to the group of antidepressant psychotropic drugs.
It was first marketed in 1991 by the company Pfizer under the trade name “Zoloft”, and can also be purchased as Besitran, Ariale either Ertexamong other names. Let’s see what the characteristics of this substance are and in which cases it is indicated
The psychotropic drug known as sertraline It is an antidepressant that belongs to the category of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI), which means that once it has been introduced into the body and has begun to act on the nervous system, it selectively inhibits the reuptake of serotonin, thus increasing the availability of this neurotransmitter.
That is, as sertraline causes certain neurons to stop capturing the serotonin in the synaptic spaces, others can receive it, which is very useful in disorders associated with lower than normal serotonin levels in certain parts of the brain. Its use can make the little serotonin that the body produces better used, helping to correct an imbalance in the levels of this neurotransmitter and mitigate the symptoms of some mental disorders.
The half-life of sertraline within the body is 22 to 36 hours, so its effect can be prolonged. However, the amount of serotonin available is not the same during that time, and the time when there is a greater amount of this psychotropic drug occurs between 4 and 8 hours after consuming the dose. Before that, sertraline remains in the digestive tract or is metabolized so it can pass into the blood.
As mentioned, sertraline is widely used to treat cases of depression. However, it is also used when intervening in cases of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), social phobia and panic attacks. It is believed that in all of them the lack of serotonin plays an important role, and that is why sertraline is used.
In turn, the amount of sertraline that should be consumed in each dose and the frequency of the latter depends on each case and is the doctor who decides. The effects of this psychotropic drug depend largely on its quantity and the frequency with which it is consumed
The positive effects of sertraline can be noticed from the first day or after a few weeks, depending on the characteristics of each person and the way in which it is consumed.
Sertraline Side Effects
Sertraline does not cause dependence, but, as always happens with drugs, it has side effects That is, sertraline produces reactions (more or less noticeable) in other processes that are not directly related to its objective. Ultimately, drugs are not intelligent agents that know where they should act and where not; They limit themselves to circulating through the blood, causing all those cells that can interact with them to react.
In the case of sertraline, the side effects it can produce include some of the most common when taking substances, such as nausea and headache, insomnia or drowsiness, or digestive problems and other less frequent ones, such as episodes of anorexia and reduced libido.
It must be taken into account that not all people have to manifest any of these side effects, but in any case the consumption of sertraline must always be indicated and supervised by doctors.
Concluding
Sertraline is a psychotropic drug whose consumption must occur after a doctor indicates it and following his or her instructions.
It is not only necessary to be careful with its use because of the side effects it may have, but also for cases in which its intake is contraindicated, since it can create an adverse reaction due to its interaction with certain substances or organs. affected by alterations.
Furthermore, if the adverse effects are too severe, this has to be reported to the doctor so that he or she can prescribe another drug or look for alternative forms of intervention.
