Sertraline – An Antidepressant Agent

Sertraline is an agent that belongs to the group of antidepressants. Therefore, it is mainly used to treat depression. It is assigned to the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.

Sertraline is an active ingredient that belongs to the group of antidepressants. Therefore, it is mainly used to treat depression. It is assigned to the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.

In general, the type and frequency of side effects caused by sertraline are similar for all indications. This applies regardless of the patient’s age.

Apart from its antidepressant effect, sertraline also has positive effects in the treatment of other clinical pictures, for example anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder or phobias.

The active ingredient was first launched in 1991 after it was developed by the US pharmaceutical company Pfizer.

Sertraline and its benefits over other antidepressants

The differences between sertraline and newer antidepressants are not particularly great. Rather, the advantage is that there are fewer side effects in comparison. Various studies have shown that sertraline is more effective than fluoxetine, for example, in some forms of depression.

Furthermore it could be shown that when taken in the context of panic attacks and phobias it reduces these and improves the quality of life of the patients.

What is Depression?

Since sertraline is mainly used for depression, it is important to explain in more detail what it is about. Depression is an emotional disorder that is associated with feelings such as persistent sadness and a severe loss of interest. It affects the following areas:

• Feelings
• thoughts
• behavior

The main cause of this condition, apart from cases where it has been linked to other diseases such as Parkinson’s, is  changes in neurotransmitters in the central nervous system.

The neurotransmitter that is essentially involved in the development of depression is serotonin. It is considered by many researchers to be the chemical responsible for maintaining a balanced mood. Therefore, a serotonin deficit can lead to depressive states.

However, there are other neurotransmitters such as norepinephrine or dopamine that, if their levels are changed, can promote this disorder. As a rule, however, this is the product of the interaction of different factors:

• Biological factors: hormonal changes or those of the neurotransmitters mentioned

• Psychosocial factors: continuous stress (for example in professional or private life)
• Personal factors

How does sertraline work in the body?

As mentioned at the beginning, sertraline is one of the serotonin reuptake inhibitors. In addition, unlike many other tricyclic antidepressants, it is particularly selective and has only a minor effect on the reuptake of norepinephrine.

Put simply, this means that serotonin, like other neurotransmitters, is separated by a neuron in order to connect to the membrane receptor of another neighboring neuron and trigger an effect.

It then breaks away from this receptor, with some of the molecules returning to the neuron from which they were previously separated in the course of resumption. During this process, sertraline releases and inhibits its effects. Thus, serotonin is not reabsorbed and its concentration increases in the presynaptic area, which is located between one and the other neuron.

As more serotonin is present, it can reconnect with the membrane receptors of the neuron and trigger further effects.

In addition, sertraline has a low affinity for other types of receptors for biogenic amines such as noradrenaline. This explains why it has fewer side effects than other serotonin reuptake inhibitors.

Side effects

As explained at the beginning, the type and frequency of side effects caused by sertraline are similar. The age of the patient is irrelevant. The most common gastrointestinal side effects include the following:

• Nausea and vomiting
• diarrhea
• Loss of appetite
• Indigestion

conclusion

Sertraline is mainly used to treat depression. However, it can also be helpful in combating other disorders such as panic attacks or obsessive-compulsive disorder.

When taking it, the instructions of the attending physician must be observed. If you have any questions about depression or treatment, it is also possible to ask advice at the pharmacy.