Serotonin Syndrome in ICU-A Road Less Traveled

A potentially life-threatening adverse drug reaction, serotonin syndrome (SS) may occur in patients on serotonin agonist medications. Medications responsible for SS include commonly prescribed antidepressants, anxiolytics, analgesics and antiemetics. This syndrome has been mentioned in various scenarios in perioperative setting but rarely acknowledged in intensive care unit (ICU) setting. Multiple comorbities leading to polypharmacy and serotoninergic medications place elderly patients, particularly at higher risk of SS. We wish to report a case of SS in an elderly male with depression who developed SS and required ICU admission. Most crucial point is to be able to recognize this entity whenever a patient on multiple drugs with altered sensorium is admitted to ICU.

Jindal S, Gombar S, Jain K. Serotonin Syndrome in ICU-A Road Less Traveled. Indian J Crit Care Med 2019;23(8):376-377.