Patient/caregiver was educated on side effects of using Citalopram as follows:
Gastrointestinal side-effects
- Citalopram use can result in common general constitutional symptoms such as, nausea and vomiting, especially when taken on empty stomach. Taking dose of citalopram with a glass of water, and some food or snack can help avoid having unpleasant gastrointestinal symptoms with the medication.
- Citalopram use can increase the activity of bowels and induce diarrhea. Proper hydration measures and compliance with daily fluid intake & rehydration measures recommended can help with relief from fluid and electrolyte loss secondary to diarrhea.
- Citalopram use can also induce extreme dry mouth and constipation. Sucking on a sugar free hard candy can help with symptomatic relief of dry mouth. Compliance with daily fluid intake recommendations and hydration measures can help with relief from constipation. Observing compliance with fiber intake recommendations in the diet can also help with preventing constipation with citalopram. If you experience any further bothersome constipation, report it to your physician for a recommendation on laxative/stool softener use.
Musculoskeletal side-effects
- Citalopram intake carries the risk of causing seizures, especially in individuals with history of seizures. Individuals can present with sudden episodes of loss of consciousness, intense convulsions with muscle contractions, bowel and bladder incontinence. Do not ignore seizure episodes and report them to your physician promptly for any appropriate measures to be considered.
- Citalopram intake can also induce a life-threatening reaction called Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS). Individuals with NMS can present with high fever, episodes of confusion, intense muscle rigidity and contractions, elevated blood pressure, and rapid heart rate.
- Potassium ion usually is maintained within close limits in the blood and body fluids and any sudden increase or decrease in blood potassium levels can lead to severe cardiac arrhythmias. Uncontrolled seizure activity and intense muscle contractions from citalopram use can lead to muscle damage and breakdown. Potassium ion from within the damaged muscle cells can leak out into the blood and body fluids, thus causing an acute increase in blood potassium levels. This acute elevation of potassium levels in the blood from citalopram use can lead to life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias. Individuals can present with episodes of chest pain, intense shortness of breath, altered heartbeat, ineffective heart contractions, dizziness/loss of consciousness from arrhythmias. Report them to your physician promptly for any appropriate measures to be considered.
