SSRI

Abbreviation with 2 meanings

SSRI
Stands forSelective serotonin reuptake inhibitor
Meanings2
CategoriesMedical

SSRI has two meanings. It stands for Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (drug class) or Sliding scale regular insulin (drug class).

Meanings of SSRI at a glance

#SSRI stands forContext
1Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitorMedical › Drug Class
2Sliding scale regular insulinMedical › Drug Class

1. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor

Medical · Drug Class Abbreviations

Most widely prescribed class of antidepressants, including fluoxetine, sertraline, citalopram, escitalopram and paroxetine. They raise serotonin activity by blocking its reabsorption into nerve cells and treat depression, anxiety disorders, OCD, PTSD and premenstrual dysphoric disorder.

Example: Started SSRI (sertraline 50 mg daily); follow-up in 4 weeks, sooner if worse.

Fluoxetine (Prozac), approved in the US in 1987, launched the class. All antidepressants carry an FDA boxed warning about suicidal thoughts in people under 25. Common effects include nausea and sexual dysfunction, and stopping suddenly can cause discontinuation symptoms. ISMP warns that "SSRI" has also been written for sliding scale regular insulin.

2. Sliding scale regular insulin

Medical · Drug Class Abbreviations

Insulin order in which doses of regular (short-acting) human insulin are given according to blood glucose readings. ISMP lists this use of SSRI as error-prone because it has been mistaken for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, the antidepressant class.

Example: Order clarified: "SSRI" meant sliding scale regular insulin, not an antidepressant.

ISMP recommends writing "sliding scale (insulin)" or naming the specific correction-insulin protocol. Regular insulin has largely been replaced by rapid-acting analogs for correction doses in hospitals, and sliding-scale-only regimens are discouraged by diabetes guidelines in favor of basal-bolus insulin.

More drug class abbreviations

  • SERM – Selective estrogen receptor modulator
  • SGA – Second-generation antipsychotic
  • SGLT2i – Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor
  • SLIT – Sublingual immunotherapy
  • SMART – Single maintenance and reliever therapy
  • SNRI – Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor
  • SU – Sulfonylurea
  • TCA – Tricyclic antidepressant
  • TKI – Tyrosine kinase inhibitor
  • TNFi – Tumor necrosis factor inhibitor
  • TPO-RA – Thrombopoietin receptor agonist
  • TZD – Thiazolidinedione

See all 113 drug class abbreviations →

Edited by the AbbreviationList.com team. Spotted an error or a missing meaning? Contact us.

This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.