Serotonin Syndrome: The Potential for a Severe Reaction Between Common Perioperative Medications and Selective...

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are widely prescribed to patients of all ages. Although generally considered safe, therapy with SSRIs can be complicated by serotonin syndrome (SS), a life-threatening condition. We present a case of SS that developed in a young man who was receiving a stable dose of fluoxetine and then received several commonly used medications during an emergent appendectomy. Because polypharmacy in the perioperative setting may trigger SS, it is important for anesthesiologists to be cognizant of the interactions between SSRIs and common perioperative medications to formulate anesthetic plans that optimize patient safety.