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Subjective Side-Effects of Amitriptyline and Lithium in Affective Disorders

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

M. T. Abou-Saleh  and
A. Coppen
M. T. Abou-Saleh
Affiliation:
West Park Hospital, Epsom, KT19 8PB, Surrey
A. Coppen
Affiliation:
West Park Hospital, Epsom, KT19 8PB, Surrey
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Summary

The prevalence of subjective side-effects was studied in 258 control subjects, 65 drug-free depressive in-patients and 94 lithium-treated out-patients. It was shown that drug-free depressives reported more side-effects than both control subjects and lithium-treated patients. Side-effects were studied during amitriptyline therapy. Depressed patients on no medication complained of only slightly fewer side-effects than when they had received amitriptyline. There was a significant positive correlation of Hamilton depression scores and side-effects scores at baseline. Side-effects and affective morbidity over two years were investigated in 94 patients with recurrent affective disorders on long-term lithium therapy. Psychological variables were also investigated in 74 of these patients. Subjective side-effects reported by lithium-treated patients including those specific to lithium were related to their affective morbidity and personality variables. Patients on lithium complained significantly less of headache and unilateral headache than controls.

Type
Research Article
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 142 , Issue 4 , April 1983 , pp. 391 - 397
Copyright
Copyright © 1983 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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