Sertraline is an antidepressant for which preliminary data suggest a l
ow inherent toxicity, Previously reported case series have included co
ingestants or had small numbers of patients, This study was undertaken
to determine the toxicity of overdoses of sertraline alone, A 2-year
retrospective and 6-month prospective study was conducted at a regiona
l poison center, There were 52 patients with a mean age of 19.3 +/- 13
.8 years and a mean dose of 727 +/- 686 mg, There were no symptoms in
34 cases, Symptomatic patients experienced mild central nervous system
, cardiovascular, and gastrointestinal effects, Two patients developed
bradycardia which resolved without therapy, While all but 3 of 38 ado
lescents and adults were treated in a health care facility, 10 of 14 c
hildren were managed at home, Gastrointestinal decontamination was per
formed in 37 cases, No other specific therapy was required, Serious to
xicity would not be expected following sertraline only overdoses. Copy
right (C) 1996 by W.B. Saunders Company