Le syndrome sérotoninergique

The serotonin syndrome is underestimated in clinical practice because of the polymorphism of clinical symptoms. It is an entity most commonly related to the use of a serotoninergic agent or to a drug interaction. Such a risk can be easily detected during pre-anaesthetic consultation. When the symptoms demonstrated by the patient are unclear, a clinical exam can help to make the diagnosis, and adapted treatment can stop the evolution towards a life-threatening situation. Old agents, active on post-synaptic serotonin receptors, (cyproheptadine, chlorpromazine), may be helpful in this setting in combination with a symptomatic treatment.