Christopher W Hooper, Cassidy Delaney, Taylor Streeter, Michael T Yarboro, Stanley Poole, Naoko Brown, James C Slaughter, Robert B Cotton, Jeff Reese, Elaine L Shelton
Use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) is common during pregnancy. Fetal exposure to SSRIs is associated with persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN); however, a direct link between the two has yet to be established. Conversely, it is well known that PPHN can be caused by premature constriction of the ductus arteriosus (DA), a fetal vessel connecting the pulmonary and systemic circulations. We hypothesized that SSRIs could induce in utero DA constriction. Using isolated vessels and whole-animal models, we sought to determine the effects of two commonly prescribed SSRIs, fluoxetine and sertraline, on the fetal mouse DA...
September 1, 2016: American Journal of Physiology. Heart and Circulatory Physiology