Amitriptyline

For the relief of symptoms of depression. Endogenous depression is more likely to be alleviated than are other depressive states.

• Oral Dosage Dosage should be initiated at a low level and increased gradually, noting carefully the clinical response and any evidence of intolerance
• Initial Dosage for Adults For outpatients, 75 mg of amitriptyline hydrochloride a day in divided doses is usually satisfactory
• If necessary, this may be increased to a total of 150 mg per day
• Increases are made preferably in the late afternoon and/or bedtime doses
• A sedative effect may be apparent before the antidepressant effect is noted, but an adequate therapeutic effect may take as long as 30 days to develop
• An alternate method of initiating therapy in outpatients is to begin with 50 to 100 mg amitriptyline hydrochloride at bedtime
• This may be increased by 25 or 50 mg as necessary in the bedtime dose to a total of 150 mg per day
• Hospitalized patients may require 100 mg a day initially
• This can be increased gradually to 200 mg a day if necessary
• A small number of hospitalized patients may need as much as 300 mg a day
• Adolescent and Elderly Patients In general, lower dosages are recommended for these patients
• Ten mg 3 times a day with 20 mg at bedtime may be satisfactory in adolescent and elderly patients who do not tolerate higher dosages
• Maintenance The usual maintenance dosage of amitriptyline hydrochloride is 50 to 100 mg per day
• In some patients, 40 mg per day is sufficient

• Safety and effectiveness in the pediatric population have not been established (see BOX WARNING and WARNINGS: Clinical Worsening and Suicide Risk )
• Anyone considering the use of amitriptyline in a child or adolescent must balance the potential risks with the clinical need

Clinical experience has not identified differences in responses between elderly and younger patients. In general, dose selection for an elderly patient should be cautious, usually starting at the low end of the dosing range, reflecting the greater frequency of decreased hepatic function, concomitant disease and other drug therapy in elderly patients. …

• Prescribers or other health professionals should inform patients, their families, and their caregivers about the benefits and risks associated with treatment with amitriptyline hydrochloride and should counsel them in its appropriate use
• A patient Medication Guide about "Antidepressant Medicines, Depression and other Serious Mental Illnesses, and Suicidal Thoughts or Actions" is available for amitriptyline hydrochloride
• The prescriber or health professional should instruct patients, their families, and their caregivers to read the Medication Guide and should assist them in understanding its contents. …

• Amitriptyline hydrochloride is contraindicated in patients who have shown prior hypersensitivity to it
• It should not be given concomitantly with monoamine oxidase inhibitors
• Hyperpyretic crises, severe convulsions, and deaths have occurred in patients receiving tricyclic antidepressant and monoamine oxidase inhibiting drugs simultaneously. …

Topiramate Some patients may experience a large increase in amitriptyline concentration in the presence of topiramate and any adjustments in amitriptyline dose should be made according to the patient's clinical response and not on the basis of plasma levels. Drugs Metabolized by P450 2D6 The biochemical activity of the drug metabolizing isozyme cytochrome P450 2D6 (debrisoquin hydroxylase) is reduced in a subset of the caucasian population (about 7 to 10% of Caucasians are so called "poor metabolizers"); reliable estimates of the prevalence of reduced P450 2D6 isozyme activity among Asian, African and other populations are not yet available. …

Clinical Worsening and Suicide Risk Patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), both adult and pediatric, may experience worsening of their depression and/or the emergence of suicidal ideation and behavior (suicidality) or unusual changes in behavior, whether or not they are taking antidepressant medications, and this risk may persist until significant remission occurs. Suicide is a known risk of depression and certain other psychiatric disorders, and these disorders themselves are the strongest predictors of suicide. …

Within each category the following adverse reactions are listed in order of decreasing severity. Included in the listing are a few adverse reactions which have not been reported with this specific drug. However, pharmacological similarities among the tricyclic antidepressant drugs require that each of the reactions be considered when amitriptyline is administered. Cardiovascular: Myocardial infarction; stroke; nonspecific ECG changes and changes in AV conduction; heart block; arrhythmias; hypotension, particularly orthostatic hypotension; syncope; hypertension; tachycardia; palpitation. …

Deaths may occur from overdosage with this class of drugs. Multiple drug ingestion (including alcohol) is common in deliberate tricyclic antidepressant overdose. As the management is complex and changing, it is recommended that the physician contact a poison control center for current information on treatment. Signs and symptoms of toxicity develop rapidly after tricyclic antidepressant overdose, therefore, hospital monitoring is required as soon as possible. …

Prenez-le dès que vous y pensez, sauf s'il est presque l'heure de la dose suivante. Dans ce cas, sautez la dose oubliée. Ne prenez jamais deux doses à la fois pour compenser. Vérifiez votre notice, certains médicaments font exception.