Drug interactions
Selegiline transdermal + Sertraline
Severity: Contraindicated
Selegiline transdermal and Sertraline: contraindicated interaction.
Last updated
For healthcare professionals — reference only. This page is a brief summary, not medical advice and not a substitute for official labeling or clinical judgement. Always verify before prescribing or dispensing.
Summary
Selegiline is a monoamine oxidase inhibitor, and combining it with an SSRI can precipitate serotonin syndrome with hyperthermia, rigidity, autonomic instability and altered mental status. The transdermal selegiline label lists SSRIs as contraindicated with it.
What this interaction means in plain words
Selegiline transdermal and Sertraline are not normally used together. Taking them at the same time is expected to cause harm or make one of them unsafe, so a different medicine is usually chosen for one of the two.
Why it happens
MAO inhibition combined with serotonin reuptake inhibition causes excess synaptic serotonin.
What to do
Do not coadminister. Allow at least 2 weeks after stopping selegiline before starting sertraline, and at least 2 weeks after stopping sertraline before starting selegiline.
What to ask your pharmacist
- Is there an alternative to one of these two medicines for me?
- If both are essential, who is monitoring me and how often?
- Which symptoms mean I should stop and seek help straight away?
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Other interactions of Sertraline
- Isocarboxazid + Sertraline Contraindicated
- Methylene blue + Sertraline Contraindicated
- Phenelzine + Sertraline Contraindicated
- Pimozide + Sertraline Contraindicated
- Selegiline + Sertraline Contraindicated
- Sertraline + Thioridazine Contraindicated
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Selegiline transdermal with Sertraline?
MediHelp rates the interaction as contraindicated. Selegiline transdermal and Sertraline are not normally used together. Taking them at the same time is expected to cause harm or make one of them unsafe, so a different medicine is usually chosen for one of the two. Selegiline is a monoamine oxidase inhibitor, and combining it with an SSRI can precipitate serotonin syndrome with hyperthermia, rigidity, autonomic instability and altered mental status. The transdermal selegiline label lists SSRIs as contraindicated with it.
How serious is the interaction between Selegiline transdermal and Sertraline?
MediHelp rates it contraindicated, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Do not coadminister. Allow at least 2 weeks after stopping selegiline before starting sertraline, and at least 2 weeks after stopping sertraline before starting selegiline.
What other medicines interact with Sertraline?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Sertraline with, for example, Isocarboxazid, Methylene blue, Phenelzine. The full list is on the Sertraline page.
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