Zoloft Side Effects Lead to Legal Action

Many former users of the SSRI drug Zoloft, which is manufactured by drugmaking giant Pfizer, are looking to file a Zoloft lawsuit against the company because of side effects they have experienced as a result of taking the drug. Zoloft, like other popular antidepressants including Celexa and Paxil, is an SSRI drug, meaning a “selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor” drug. This means that it works by blocking the reuptake of serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is a mood-enhancing chemical created naturally by the human body, and in patients with certain conditions – like depression – it is processed improperly. Zoloft and other SSRIs have been approved to treat conditions such as depression, social anxiety, panic attacks, anxiety disorders, post traumatic stress disorder, and obsessive compulsive disorders, among other conditions. The use of SSRIs is relatively widespread, as the conditions which they treat are relatively common.

Many patients, since Zoloft was approved for distribution on the United States’ pharmaceutical market in 1992, have been experiencing severe Zoloft side effects, the most notable being suicidal thoughts and suicide

Zoloft Lawsuits: Seniors Ponder Options

Many patients across the country who have experienced negative side effects stemming from their use of the popular anti-depressant Zoloft as well as other SSRI drugs, such as Celexa and Prozac, are filing Zoloft lawsuits against drugmakers like Pfizer in order to gain damages that will help cover the medical bills that aren’t paid by their insurance. SSRIs are one of the most commonly prescribed drugs for disorders like obsessive compulsive disorder or OCD, post traumatic stress disorder or PTSD, anxiety disorders, panic attacks, and depression. They work by manipulating the way serotonin functions in the brain, thereby helping to balance a patient’s mood. SSRI stands for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor.

Although it has been clear for a while that SSRI drugs come with a risk of birth defects if used by expecting mothers – as do many prescription medications – there is also another specific group at high risk of Zoloft damage  – senior citizens. A study published in early August in the British Medical Journal looked at 60,745 patients diagnosed with depression between January 1, 1996 and December 31, 2007. These patients were all between the ages of 65 and 100.

Zoloft Birth Defects Lead to Lawsuit Spike

One of the more tragic possible anti-depressant drug, Zoloft side effects are birth defects manifesting in patients’ children. Zoloft, which is the brand name of sertraline, is a SSRI drug, meaning “selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors”.  These medications are used to treat psychological disorders including depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and anxiety disorders. They are relatively commonly prescribed for these conditions, but are side effects of Zoloft just as common? SSRI drugs regulate his or her emotional impulses and anxieties by moderating levels of serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is a chemical that regulates and balances a person’s mood.

Side effects of Zoloft and many other SSRI drugs can be serious, and more concern for patients considering Zoloft and pregnancy. SSRI drugs were linked by a British study to birth defects, especially those related to a baby’s heart. SSRIs including Zoloft, Paxil, Celexa, Lexapro, and Prozac have all been linked to these birth defects, and mothers who take more than one of these drugs during the first trimester of their pregnancy were four times more likely to give birth to a baby with birth defects.