Treatments and drugs

By Mayo Clinic Staff

Treatment of serotonin syndrome depends on the severity of your symptoms.

  • If your symptoms are minor, a visit to the doctor and stopping the medication causing the problem may be enough.
  • If you have symptoms that concern your doctor, you may need to go to the hospital. Your doctor may have you stay in the hospital for several hours to make sure your symptoms are improving.
  • If you have severe serotonin syndrome, you'll need intensive treatment in a hospital.

Depending on your symptoms, you may receive the following treatments:

  • Muscle relaxants. Benzodiazepines, such as diazepam (Valium) or lorazepam (Ativan), can help control agitation, seizures and muscle stiffness.
  • Serotonin-production blocking agents. If other treatments aren't working, medications such as cyproheptadine can help by blocking serotonin production.
  • Oxygen and intravenous (IV) fluids. Breathing oxygen through a mask helps maintain normal oxygen levels in your blood, and IV fluids are used to treat dehydration and fever.
  • Drugs that control heart rate and blood pressure. These may include esmolol (Brevibloc) or nitroprusside (Nitropress), to reduce a high heart rate or high blood pressure. If your blood pressure is too low, your doctor may give you phenylephrine or epinephrine (Adrenalin, EpiPen).
  • A breathing tube and medication to paralyze your muscles. You may need a breathing tube and medication to paralyze your muscles, such as etomidate (Amidate) or succinylcholine (Anectine, Quelicin), if you have a high fever.

Milder forms of serotonin syndrome usually go away within 24 to 72 hours of stopping medications that increase serotonin and by taking medications to block the effects of serotonin already in your system if they're needed.

However, symptoms of serotonin syndrome caused by some antidepressants could take several weeks to go away completely. These medications remain in your system longer than do other medications that can cause serotonin syndrome.

March 13, 2014

You Are ... The Campaign for Mayo Clinic
