Sertraline Hydrochloride: Package Insert and Label Information (Page 3 of 7)

6.2 Post-marketing Experience

The following adverse reactions have been identified during postapproval use of sertraline hydrochloride. Because these reactions are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not always possible to reliably estimate their frequency or establish a causal relationship to drug exposure.

Bleeding or clotting disorders – increased coagulation times (altered platelet function)

Cardiac disorders – AV block, bradycardia, atrial arrhythmias, QTc-interval prolongation, ventricular tachycardia (including Torsade de Pointes) [See Clinical Pharmacology (12.2)]

Endocrine disorders – gynecomastia, hyperprolactinemia, menstrual irregularities, SIADH

Eye disorders – blindness, optic neuritis, cataract

Hepatobiliary disorders – severe liver events (including hepatitis, jaundice, liver failure with some fatal outcomes), pancreatitis

Hemic and lymphatic disorders – agranulocytosis, aplastic anemia and pancytopenia, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, lupus-like syndrome, serum sickness

Immune system disorders – angioedema

Metabolism and nutrition disorders – hyponatremia, hyperglycemia
Musculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders — rhabdomyolysis, trismus

Nervous system disorders – serotonin syndrome, extrapyramidal symptoms (including akathisia and dystonia), oculogyric crisis

Psychiatric disorders – psychosis, enuresis, paroniria

Renal and urinary disorders – acute renal failure

Respiratory, thoracic and mediastinal

disorders – pulmonary hypertension

Skin and subcutaneous tissue disorders – photosensitivity skin reaction and other severe cutaneous reactions, which potentially can be fatal, such as Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN)
Vascular disorders — cerebrovascular spasm (including reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome and Call-Fleming syndrome), vasculitis

7 DRUG INTERACTIONS

7.1 Clinically Significant Drug Interactions

Table 5 includes clinically significant drug interactions with sertraline hydrochloride [See Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)] .

Table 5. Clinically-Significant Drug Interactions with Sertraline Hydrochloride

Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs)
Clinical Impact:	The concomitant use of SSRIs including sertraline hydrochloride and MAOIs increases the risk of serotonin syndrome.
Intervention:	Sertraline hydrochloride is contraindicated in patients taking MAOIs, including MAOIs such as linezolid or intravenous methylene blue [See Dosage and Administration (2.5), Contraindications (4), Warnings and Precautions (5.2)].
Examples:	selegiline, tranylcypromine, isocarboxazid, phenelzine, linezolid, methylene blue
Pimozide
Clinical Impact:	Increased plasma concentrations of pimozide, a drug with a narrow therapeutic index, may increase the risk of QTc prolongation and ventricular arrhythmias.
Intervention:	Concomitant use of pimozide and sertraline hydrochloride is contraindicated [See Contraindications (4)].
Other Serotonergic Drugs
Clinical Impact:	The concomitant use of serotonergic drugs with sertraline hydrochloride increases the risk of serotonin syndrome.
Intervention:	Monitor patients for signs and symptoms of serotonin syndrome, particularly during treatment initiation and dosage increases. If serotonin syndrome occurs, consider discontinuation of sertraline hydrochloride and/or concomitant serotonergic drugs [See Warnings and Precautions (5.2)].
Examples:	other SSRIs, SNRIs, triptans, tricyclic antidepressants, fentanyl, lithium, tramadol, tryptophan, buspirone, St. John’s Wort
Drugs that Interfere with Hemostasis (antiplatelet agents and anticoagulants)
Clinical Impact:	The concurrent use of an antiplatelet agent or anticoagulant with sertraline hydrochloride may potentiate the risk of bleeding.
Intervention:	Inform patients of the increased risk of bleeding associated with the concomitant use of sertraline hydrochloride and antiplatelet agents and anticoagulants. For patients taking warfarin, carefully monitor the international normalized ratio [See Warnings and Precautions (5.3)].
Examples:	aspirin, clopidogrel, heparin, warfarin
Drugs Highly Bound to Plasma Protein
Clinical Impact:	Sertraline hydrochloride is highly bound to plasma protein. The concomitant use of sertraline hydrochloride with another drug that is highly bound to plasma protein may increase free concentrations of sertraline hydrochloride or other tightly-bound drugs in plasma [See Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)] .
Intervention:	Monitor for adverse reactions and reduce dosage of sertraline hydrochloride or other protein-bound drugs as warranted.
Examples:	warfarin
Drugs Metabolized by CYP2D6
Clinical Impact:	Sertraline hydrochloride is a CYP2D6 inhibitor [See Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)] . The concomitant use of sertraline hydrochloride with a CYP2D6 substrate may increase the exposure of the CYP2D6 substrate.
Intervention:	Decrease the dosage of a CYP2D6 substrate if needed with concomitant sertraline hydrochloride use. Conversely, an increase in dosage of a CYP2D6 substrate may be needed if sertraline hydrochloride is discontinued.
Examples:	propafenone, flecainide, atomoxetine, desipramine, dextromethorphan, metoprolol, nebivolol, perphenazine, thoridazine, tolterodine, venlafaxine
Phenytoin
Clinical Impact:	Phenytoin is a narrow therapeutic index drug. Sertraline hydrochloride may increase phenytoin concentrations.
Intervention:	Monitor phenytoin levels when initiating or titrating sertraline hydrochloride. Reduce phenytoin dosage if needed.
Examples:	phenytoin, fosphenytoin
Drugs that Prolong the QTc Interval
Clinical Impact:	The risk of QTc prolongation and/or ventricular arrhythmias (e.g., TdP) is increased with concomitant use of other drugs which prolong the QTc interval [See Warnings and Precautions (5.10), Clinical Pharmacology (12.2)] .
Intervention:	Pimozide is contraindicated for use with sertraline. Avoid the concomitant use of drugs known to prolong the QTc interval.
Examples:	Specific antipsychotics (e.g., ziprasidone, iloperidone, chlorpromazine, mesoridazine, droperidol); specific antibiotics (e.g., erythromycin, gatifloxacin, moxifloxacin, sparfloxacin); Class 1A antiarrhythmic medications (e.g., quinidine, procainamide); Class III antiarrhythmics (e.g., amiodarone, sotalol); and others (e.g., pentamidine, levomethadyl acetate, methadone, halofantrine, mefloquine, dolasetron mesylate, probucol or tacrolimus).

7.2 Drugs Having No Clinically Important Interactions with Sertraline Hydrochloride

Based on pharmacokinetic studies, no dosage adjustment of sertraline hydrochloride is necessary when used in combination with cimetidine. Additionally, no dosage adjustment is required for diazepam, lithium, atenolol, tolbutamide, digoxin, and drugs metabolized by CYP3A4, when sertraline hydrochloride is administered concomitantly [See Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)] .

7.3 False-Positive Screening Tests for Benzodiazepines

False-positive urine immunoassay screening tests for benzodiazepines have been reported in patients taking sertraline hydrochloride. This finding is due to lack of specificity of the screening tests. False-positive test results may be expected for several days following discontinuation of sertraline hydrochloride. Confirmatory tests, such as gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, will distinguish sertraline from benzodiazepines.

8 USE IN SPECIFIC POPULATIONS

8.1 Pregnancy

Risk Summary

Overall, available published epidemiologic studies of pregnant women exposed to sertraline in the first trimester suggest no difference in major birth defect risk compared to the background rate for major birth defects in comparator populations. Some studies have reported increases for specific major birth defects; however, these study results are inconclusive [See Data]. There are clinical considerations regarding neonates exposed to SSRIs and SNRIs, including sertraline hydrochloride, during the third trimester of pregnancy [See Clinical Considerations].

Although no teratogenicity was observed in animal reproduction studies, delayed fetal ossification was observed when sertraline was administered during the period of organogenesis at doses less than the maximum recommended human dose (MRHD) in rats and doses 3.1 times the MRHD in rabbits on a mg/m ² basis in adolescents. When sertraline was administered to female rats during the last third of gestation, there was an increase in the number of stillborn pups and pup deaths during the first four days after birth at the MRHD [See Data].
The background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage for the indicated population are unknown. In the U.S. general population, the estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage in clinically recognized pregnancies is 2 to 4% and 15 to 20%, respectively. Advise a pregnant woman of possible risks to the fetus when prescribing sertraline hydrochloride.

Clinical Considerations

Disease-associated maternal and/or embryo/fetal risk

A prospective longitudinal study followed 201 pregnant women with a history of major depression who were euthymic taking antidepressants at the beginning of pregnancy. The women who discontinued antidepressants during pregnancy were more likely to experience a relapse of major depression than women who continued antidepressants. Consider the risks of untreated depression when discontinuing or changing treatment with antidepressant medication during pregnancy and postpartum.

Fetal/Neonatal adverse reactions

Exposure to SSRIs and SNRIs, including sertraline hydrochloride in late pregnancy may lead to an increased risk for neonatal complications requiring prolonged hospitalization, respiratory support, and tube feeding, and/or persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN).
When treating a pregnant woman with sertraline hydrochloride during the third trimester, carefully consider both the potential risks and benefits of treatment. Monitor neonates who were exposed to sertraline hydrochloride in the third trimester of pregnancy for PPHN and drug discontinuation syndrome [See Data].

Data

Human Data

Third Trimester Exposure

Neonates exposed to sertraline hydrochloride and other SSRIs or SNRIs late in the third trimester have developed complications requiring prolonged hospitalization, respiratory support, and tube feeding. These findings are based on post-marketing reports. Such complications can arise immediately upon delivery. Reported clinical findings have included respiratory distress, cyanosis, apnea, seizures, temperature instability, feeding difficulty, vomiting, hypoglycemia, hypotonia, hypertonia, hyperreflexia, tremor, jitteriness, irritability, and constant crying. These features are consistent with either a direct toxic effect of SSRIs and SNRIs or, possibly, a drug discontinuation syndrome. In some cases, the clinical picture was consistent with serotonin syndrome [See Warnings and Precautions (5.2)] .
Exposure during late pregnancy to SSRIs may have an increased risk for persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN). PPHN occurs in 1 to 2 per 1,000 live births in the general population and is associated with substantial neonatal morbidity and mortality. In a retrospective case-control study of 377 women whose infants were born with PPHN and 836 women whose infants were born healthy, the risk for developing PPHN was approximately six-fold higher for infants exposed to SSRIs after the 20 ^th week of gestation compared to infants who had not been exposed to antidepressants during pregnancy. A study of 831,324 infants born in Sweden in 1997 to 2005 found a PPHN risk ratio of 2.4 (95% CI 1.2 to 4.3) associated with patient-reported maternal use of SSRIs “in early pregnancy” and a PPHN risk ratio of 3.6 (95% CI 1.2 to 8.3) associated with a combination of patient-reported maternal use of SSRIs “in early pregnancy” and an antenatal SSRI prescription “in later pregnancy”.

First Trimester Exposure

The weight of evidence from epidemiologic studies of pregnant women exposed to sertraline in the first trimester suggest no difference in major birth defect risk compared to the background rate for major birth defects in pregnant women who were not exposed to sertraline. A meta-analysis of studies suggest no increase in the risk of total malformations (summary odds ratio=1.01, 95% CI=0.88 to 1.17) or cardiac malformations (summary odds ratio=0.93, 95% CI=0.70 to 1.23) among offspring of women with first trimester exposure to sertraline. An increased risk of congenital cardiac defects, specifically septal defects, the most common type of congenital heart defect, was observed in some published epidemiologic studies with first trimester sertraline exposure; however, most of these studies were limited by the use of comparison populations that did not allow for the control of confounders such as the underlying depression and associated conditions and behaviors, which may be factors associated with increased risk of these malformations.

Animal Data

Reproduction studies have been performed in rats and rabbits at doses up to 80 mg/kg/day and 40 mg/kg/day, respectively. These doses correspond to approximately 3.1 times the maximum recommended human dose (MRHD) of 200 mg/day on a mg/m ² basis in adolescents. There was no evidence of teratogenicity at any dose level. When pregnant rats and rabbits were given sertraline during the period of organogenesis, delayed ossification was observed in fetuses at doses of 10 mg/kg (0.4 times the MRHD on a mg/m ² basis) in rats and 40 mg/kg (3.1 times the MRHD on a mg/m ² basis) in rabbits. When female rats received sertraline during the last third of gestation and throughout lactation, there was an increase in stillborn pups and pup deaths during the first 4 days after birth. Pup body weights were also decreased during the first four days after birth. These effects occurred at a dose of 20 mg/kg (0.8 times the MRHD on a mg/m ² basis). The no effect dose for rat pup mortality was 10 mg/kg (0.4 times the MRHD on a mg/m ² basis). The decrease in pup survival was shown to be due to in utero exposure to sertraline. The clinical significance of these effects is unknown.