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A 44-year-old man developed serotonin syndrome (SS) which was complicated by systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) after the concomitant administration of venlafaxine and quetiapine.
The man with a complex psychiatric background was admitted with the several week history of feeling unwell, abnormal movements of the arms and slurred speech, and several days history of on-going loose stools. He was receiving venlafaxine 300mg once daily. The dose was increased 2 months before admission [initial dose not stated] and quetiapine was added at 50mg twice daily which was increased to 100mg twice daily, the next week and then to 125mg twice daily 2 weeks before [routes not stated]. Two days before his admission, his quetiapine dose was further increased to 150mg for the evening and the next day he took 150mg twice in a day. The following morning he collapsed and was brought to the emergency department (ED). Before his admission, he presented to his general practitioner with myoclonic jerks.
The man was...