AUTHOR=Orozco-Solano Sofía , Silva-Castro Martha Milena , Machuca Manuel 

TITLE=Case report: Serotoninergic and cholinergic syndromes induced by self-medication

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Pharmacology

VOLUME=Volume 14 - 2023

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pharmacology/articles/10.3389/fphar.2023.1080249

DOI=10.3389/fphar.2023.1080249

ISSN=1663-9812

ABSTRACT=Self-medication is part of the self-care practices carried out by the elderly in their environment. The aim of this case report is to show how the self-medication of fluoxetine and dimenhydrinate in an older adult can induce serotoninergic and cholinergic syndrome, showing symptoms such as nausea, tachycardia, tremor, loss of appetite, memory loss, decreased vision, falls, and increased urination. The older adult has been diagnosed with arterial hypertension, dyslipidaemia, diabetes mellitus and a recent diagnosis of essential thrombosis. After the analysis of the case, cessation of fluoxetine was recommended to avoid withdrawal symptoms, and therefore decrease the need for dimenhydrinate, and the medicines used for dyspepsia. After the recommendation, the patient showed an improvement in the symptoms. Finally, the comprehensive evaluation process of the medication in the Medicines Optimisation Unit achieved to detect the problem and improve the patient's health condition.