Zoloft Side Effects
Zoloft and its generic form sertraline may increase the risk of certain side effects that can be serious in some cases. The medication acts on levels of the chemical serotonin, found in the brain, to help improve mood, concentration, appetite and other factors associated with depression and anxiety disorders.
Zoloft Birth Defects
A 2007 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that Zoloft and other SSRI medications can cause a six-fold increase in the risk of omphalocele, a birth defect characterized by the growth of an infant's intestines or other abdominal organs outside of the body.
In 2009, a study of nearly 500,000 children conducted by researchers in Denmark revealed that the use of SSRI medications such as Zoloft during pregnancy can nearly double the risk of certain congenital heart defects in newborns. Septal heart defects, commonly described as a "hole in the heart," have been linked to Zoloft use during pregnancy, as the medication can interfere with the development of the wall that divides the left and right ventricles of the heart.
Serious Zoloft Side Effects
If Zoloft is taken in combination with medications known as monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors, a serious and potentially-fatal reaction may result in the following symptoms:
- Muscle stiffness
- Involuntary muscle movements
- Hot, dry skin
- Confusion
- Irritability
- Coma
Seizures and suicidal thoughts have also been linked to Zoloft treatment in some cases.
Additional Zoloft Side Effects
Other possible side effects of Zoloft include:
- Weight loss
- Ejaculation problems
- Dry mouth
- Increased sweating
- Fatigue
- Tremor
- Dizziness
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Indigestion
- Nausea
- Insomnia
- Decreased libido
- Loss of appetite
