Abstract
Plasma imipramine and desmethylimipramine concentrations and depression ratings were measured over a 3 week period in 3 groups of hospitalised depressed patients given standard doses of imipramine. The first group received imipramine alone, the others either amylobarbitone or nitrazepam in addition as a night sedative. The plasma antidepressant levels were consistently higher in the group receiving no hypnotic but only significantly so in the case of ‘total’ IMI in the imipramine alone group compared to the group receiving imipramine plus amylobarbitone. The inter-individual differences in plasma levels were large. There was no difference between the groups with regard to changes in depression, sleep or side-effects. From a clinical point of view, there is therefore no evidence from this study of adverse effects of these drugs given in combination nor any evidence to suggest that the dosage of imipramine given should be adjusted when administered along with either of the hypnotics studied.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Alexanderson, B.: Pharmacokinetics of nortriptyline in man after single and multiple oral doses: the predictability of steady-state plasma concentrations from single dose plasma level data. Europ. J. clin. Pharmacol. 4, 82–91 (1972)
åsberg, M., Cronholm, B., Sjöqvist, F., Tuck, D.: Relationship between plasma level and therapeutic effect of notriptyline. Brit. med. J. 1971 III, 331–334
Braithwaite, R. A., Goulding, R., Theano, G., Bailey, J., Coppen, A.: Plasma concentration of amitriptyline and clinical response. Lancet 1972 I, 1297–1300
Burrows, G. D., Davies, B.: Antidepressants and barbiturates. Brit. med. J. 1971 III, 113
Burrows, G. D., Davies, B., Scoggins, B. A.: Plasma concentration of nortriptyline and clinical response in depressive illness. Lancet 1973 II, 619–623
Davies, D. S., Prichard, B. N. C.: Biological effects of drugs in relation to their plasma concentrations. London: Macmillan 1973
Hammer, W., Brodie, B. B.: Application of isotope derivative technique to assay of secondary amines: estimation of desipramine by acetylation with H3-acetic anhydride. J. Pharmacol. exp. Ther. 157, 503–508 (1967)
Hammer, W., Sjöqvist, F.: Plasma levels of monomethylated tricyclic antidepressants during treatment with imipramine-like compounds. Life Sci. 6, 1895–1903 (1967)
Moody, J. P.: The biological availability of clomipramine (anafranil). J. int. med. Res. 1, 325–330 (1973)
Silverman, G., Braithwaite, R. A.: Benzodiazepines and tricyclic antidepressant plasma levels. Brit. med. J. 1973 III, 18–20
Sjöqvist, F., Barr, C. V.: Interindividual differences in drug oxidation: clinical importance. Drug metab. Disp. 1, 469–481 (1973)
Sjöqvist, F., Bertilsson, L.: Plasma concentrations of drugs and pharmacological response in man. In: Biological effects of drugs in relation to their plasma concentrations. D. S. Davies and B. N. C. Prichard, eds., pp. 25–40. London: Macmillan 1973
Stevenson, I. H., Browning, M., Crooks, J.O., Malley, K.: Changes in human drug metabolism after long-term exposure to hypnotics. Brit. med. J. 1972 IV, 322–324
Zealley, A. K., Aitken, R. C. B.: Measurement of mood. Proc. roy. Soc. Med. 62, 993–996 (1969)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ballinger, B.R., Presly, A., Reid, A.H. et al. The effects of hypnotics on imipramine treatment. Psychopharmacologia 39, 267–274 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00421034
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00421034