Tricyclic Antidepressants (TCAs) (cont.)
Annette (Gbemudu) Ogbru, PharmD, MBA
Dr. Gbemudu received her B.S. in Biochemistry from Nova Southeastern University, her PharmD degree from University of Maryland, and MBA degree from University of Baltimore. She completed a one year post-doctoral fellowship with Rutgers University and Bristol Myers Squibb.
Jay W. Marks, MD
Jay W. Marks, MD, is a board-certified internist and gastroenterologist. He graduated from Yale University School of Medicine and trained in internal medicine and gastroenterology at UCLA/Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
In this Article
- What are tricyclic antidepressants, and how do they work?
- For what conditions are tricyclic antidepressants used?
- Are there differences among tricyclic antidepressants?
- What are the side effects of tricyclic antidepressants?
- With which drugs do tricyclic antidepressants interact?
- What are the available tricyclic antidepressants in the U.S.?
With which drugs do tricyclic antidepressants interact?
Tricyclic antidepressants should not be used with monoamine oxidase inhibiting drugs [for example, tranylcypromine (Parnate)]. High fever, convulsions, and even death can occur from such combinations.
Epinephrine (Primatene, Adrenalin, Ana-Kit, EpiPen, Marcaine) should not be used with tricyclic antidepressants, since together they can cause severe high blood pressure.
Alcohol blocks the antidepressant action of tricyclic antidepressants but increases its sedative effect.
Cimetidine (Tagamet) can increase blood levels and side effects of tricyclic antidepressants.
Combining tricyclic antidepressants with drugs that block acetylcholine can stop bowel movements and paralyze the intestine (paralytic ileus). Dangerous elevations in blood pressure may occur if TCA are combined with clonidine (Catapres, Catapres-TTS).
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