Am J Psychiatry 1991; 148:371-373
Copyright © 1991 by American Psychiatric Association
Nortriptyline treatment of depressed cardiac transplant recipients
PA Shapiro
Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry Service, Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY 10032.
The safety of tricyclic antidepressants in cardiac transplant recipients
has not been established. The author used nortriptyline to treat major
depressive episodes in eight cardiac transplant recipients. Nortriptyline
therapy was associated with increased QRS interval and heart rate but did
not significantly affect other hemodynamic or ECG variables or cyclosporine
dose requirements. It appears that nortriptyline may be used safely in
depressed cardiac transplant patients.
