Tedizolid Phosphate and Sertraline: Interaction Details
AI-assisted, pharmacist-reviewed · AI content regenerated Jul 11, 2026 · Source data updated Jul 2, 2026 · Sources: FDA labeling, DDInter 2.0, cited literature
Sertraline
No brand names on recordTedizolid Phosphate
How we grade severity & evidence
Severity levels
- Contraindicated: These should generally not be used together.
- Major: Potentially serious — often needs a change or close monitoring.
- Moderate: Can be significant — usually manageable with monitoring.
- Minor: Usually limited clinical impact.
Evidence grades
- Established: Well documented — supported by controlled studies or strong clinical data.
- Probable: Good supporting evidence, though not definitively proven.
- Suspected: Some evidence suggests this interaction, but it is not well established.
- Possible: Limited or conflicting evidence; the interaction may occur.
- Theoretical: Predicted from the drugs' pharmacology; not yet confirmed in people.
Ratings come from the documented interaction literature and are reviewed by a pharmacist. They describe the documented risk of the combination, not what will necessarily happen to you — your dose, timing, and health picture all matter.
Sertraline is an antidepressant that raises a brain chemical called serotonin. Tedizolid (Sivextro) is an antibiotic that can also nudge serotonin levels up a little. When you take both, the concern is that serotonin could climb too high and cause a reaction called serotonin syndrome.
Warning signs include shivering or sweating, a racing heart, fever, restlessness or agitation, muscle twitching or stiffness, and shaking. This is uncommon and mostly based on scattered reports, not strong studies. The good news is your care team can watch for it, and tedizolid is usually only a short course. Keep taking both as prescribed and let your doctor or pharmacist know if you feel unwell.
Mechanism: additive serotonergic effects. Sertraline is an SSRI; tedizolid is an oxazolidinone with weak, reversible MAO-inhibitory activity. Neither is a prodrug here, so the effect is pharmacodynamic (PD), not a PK/enzyme interaction. Combined use raises the theoretical risk of serotonin syndrome.
- Direction: additive serotonin activity (increased effect).
- Evidence: theoretical, based on post-marketing case reports.
- Severity/onset: major; onset unspecified.
- Management: monitor for hyperthermia, diaphoresis, agitation, hyperreflexia, clonus, tremor, rigidity, hypertonia. If serotonin syndrome emerges, consider discontinuing tedizolid and/or the serotonergic agent and provide supportive care.
What happens
An increased risk of serotonin syndrome
Interaction Deep Dive
Serotonin syndrome has been documented in post marketing reports involving patients receiving tedizolid together with serotonergic agents. For this reason, patients should be watched for the development of serotonin syndrome whenever these drugs are given together. Should signs or symptoms of serotonin syndrome appear, clinicians may consider stopping tedizolid and/or the accompanying serotonergic agents as clinically warranted, along with starting supportive care. Patients should be advised about the heightened risk of serotonin syndrome that accompanies concurrent use of tedizolid and serotonergic agents. The symptoms that can be linked to serotonin syndrome include hyperthermia, diaphoresis, agitation, hyperreflexia, clonus, pyrexia, opsoclonus, muscle rigidity, tremor, and hypertonia1.
Why it happens (mechanism)
Additive serotonergic effects
How to manage this interaction
Your care team can manage this safely, especially since tedizolid is typically a short course.
- Keep taking both as prescribed unless your doctor or pharmacist tells you otherwise. Do not stop on your own.
- Your team may monitor you more closely while you are on the antibiotic.
- Watch for warning signs: fever, heavy sweating, fast heartbeat, agitation or confusion, muscle twitching, stiffness, or shaking.
- Get medical help promptly if these appear. Treatment often involves stopping one or both drugs and supportive care.
- Tell your pharmacist about all serotonin-affecting medicines and supplements you take.
Management is individual — confirm any change with your pharmacist or prescriber.
Literature reports
1 report — tap to read
a) During post marketing surveillance, cases of serotonin syndrome have been documented in patients receiving tedizolid together with serotonergic agents 1.
Common questions
Can I take Tedizolid Phosphate and Sertraline together?
Combining sertraline with tedizolid can add up to raise serotonin and, rarely, trigger serotonin syndrome; keep taking both as prescribed and watch for fever, sweating, agitation, muscle twitching, or tremor, and seek care if these occur. Always confirm with your pharmacist or prescriber before making any change.
How serious is the Tedizolid Phosphate and Sertraline interaction?
It is rated major. Potentially serious — often needs a change or close monitoring.
How quickly could this interaction happen?
The documented onset is "unspecified". The timing of this interaction is not well characterized.
How is the Tedizolid Phosphate and Sertraline interaction managed?
Your care team can manage this safely, especially since tedizolid is typically a short course. Keep taking both as prescribed unless your doctor or pharmacist tells you otherwise. Do not stop on your own. Your team may monitor you more closely while you are on the antibiotic. Watch for warning signs: fever, heavy sweating, fast heartbeat, agitation or confusion, muscle twitching, stiffness, or sha… Management is individual — always follow your own care team's guidance.
How strong is the evidence for this interaction?
The evidence is graded "theoretical". Predicted from the drugs' pharmacology; not yet confirmed in people.
From our Q&A
Real reader questions about these medications, each personally answered by our pharmacist:
Questions for your pharmacist
- Does my dose of Tedizolid Phosphate or Sertraline need adjusting while I take them together?
- What symptoms should prompt me to call you or my prescriber right away?
- Does the timing of my doses matter for this combination?
- Is there a safer alternative to one of these medications for me?
References (1)
- Product Information: SIVEXTRO® intravenous injection, oral tablets, tedizolid phosphate intravenous injection, oral tablets. Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp (per FDA), Rahway, NJ, 2026. DailyMed
Keep reading about Sertraline
Keep reading about Tedizolid Phosphate
These medications also interact with supplements
Prescription drugs aren't the whole picture — herbal and dietary supplements can interact with them too. From the evidence-graded Natural Medicines database:
major · moderate · minor — check everything you take with our drug–supplement interaction checker.
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