Am J Psychiatry 1993; 150:1249-1251
Copyright © 1993 by American Psychiatric Association
Treatment of nortriptyline's side effects in elderly patients: a double- blind study of bethanechol
J Rosen, BG Pollock, LP Altieri and EA Jonas
Department of Psychiatry, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, Pittsburgh, PA 15213.
A double-blind, placebo-controlled study of bethanechol was conducted in 26
elderly depressed patients being treated with nortriptyline. Patients
receiving bethanechol had reduced subjective complaints of anticholinergic
side effects and showed a trend toward improvement on an objective measure
of salivary flow. The potential use of bethanechol in older patients to
reduce morbidity and improve compliance with medication regimens is
discussed.
