Possible Interaction: Ethanol and Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors

“Finally, SSRIs themselves can have an effect on the course of the pregnancy, with one study finding an increased risk of gestational hypertension Toh et al., 2009) and preeclampsia among women taking SSRIs during pregnancy.”

“Clinical characteristics associated with an increase in resource use included overdose with tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) compared with selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs) (weighted ratio 2.6:1) and co-ingestion of alcohol with SSRIs.”

“Clinical characteristics associated with an increase in resource use included overdose with tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) compared with selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs) (weighted ratio 2·6[ratio ]1) and co-ingestion of alcohol with SSRIs.”

“As determined by the National Transportation Safety Board, the use of an SSRI [with or without other drug(s) and/or ethanol ] has been a contributory factor in at least 9 of the 61 accidents.”

“ SSRIs may, however, be associated with ADRs, and even death, following intentional overdose or when taken with 2 or more other drugs or alcohol (particularly another drug metabolized by CYP-450).”

“ SSRI overdoses in combination with alcohol or other drugs are associated with increased toxicity, and almost all fatalities involving SSRIs have involved coingestion of other substances.”

“SSRIs facilitated ethanol-induced locomotor sensitization, although SSRIs by themselves are unable to produce the locomotor stimulation similar to that induced by ethanol.”

“ Abstract Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) or serotonin precursors inhibit ethanol and food intake by increasing the synaptic availability of 5-HT in the central nervous system.”

“It is suggested that the previously reported effectiveness of SSRIs in reducing EtOH consumption could be based on similarities in discriminative stimulus effects of SSRIs and EtOH.”

“Stimulation of 5-HT2A receptors may underlie these stimulus similarities and contribute to the EtOH intake-reducing effects of SSRIs.”

“However, after a several week "washout period," SSRI pretreatment again produced an initial decrease in responding for ethanol , again followed by a return to baseline.”

“Thus, suppression of ethanol drinking may be related to immediate changes in 5-HT function following treatment with SSRIs , and tolerance to this effect appears to develop rapidly.”