Am J Psychiatry 1977; 134:790-793
Copyright © 1977 by American Psychiatric Association
Relationship between age and tricyclic antidepressant plasma levels
A Nies, DS Robinson, MJ Friedman, R Green, TB Cooper, CL Ravaris and JO Ives
Older depressed patients treated with imipramine or amitriptyline developed
higher steady-state plasma levels of imipramine, desipramine, and
amitriptyline. In imipramine-treated patients this finding was associated
with a decreased rate of drug elimination from plasma. These findings
provide at least a partial explanation for the increased susceptibility of
the older patient to tricyclic antidepressant side effects and also provide
a pharmacological rationale for use of lower dosages in this age group.
