Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t7czq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-22T07:48:35.975Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Amitriptyline Dosage Schedule, Sampling Time and Tricyclic Plasma Levels

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

Vincent E. Ziegler ,
David A. Meyer ,
Samuel H. Rosen ,
John W. Knesevich  and
John T. Biggs
Vincent E. Ziegler
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, 4940 Audubon Avenue, St Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
David A. Meyer
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, 4940 Audubon Avenue, St Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
Samuel H. Rosen
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, 4940 Audubon Avenue, St Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
John W. Knesevich
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, 4940 Audubon Avenue, St Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
John T. Biggs*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, 4940 Audubon Avenue, St Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
*
Address all correspondence and reprint requests to John T. Biggs, Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, 4940 Audubon Avenue, St Louis, Missouri 63110.
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

Plasma levels of amitriptyline and nortriptyline were similar in ten depressed patients after administration of amitriptyline hydrochloride in three divided doses or as a single daily dose. Maximum comparability of the plasma levels is achieved by sampling 12 to 16 hours after the single daily dose, or 3 to 7 hours after the morning dose on a thrice-daily schedule. Owing to the long biological half-life of these drugs, therapeutic plasma levels are maintained on a once a day dosage schedule, and the need for sustained release preparations appears questionable.

Type
Research Article
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 131 , Issue 2 , August 1977 , pp. 168 - 171
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists 1977 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Footnotes

∗

Supported in part by Public Health Service Grants MH-25571, RR-00954 and DA-00259.

References

Alexanderson, B., Price, Evans D. A. & Sjöqvist, F. (1969) Steady-state plasma levels of nortriptyline in twins: influence of genetic factors and drug therapy. British Medical Journal, iv, 764–8.Google Scholar
Åsberg, M., Crönholm, B., Sjöqvist, F. & Tuck, D. (1971) Relationship between plasma level and therapeutic effect of nortriptyline. British Medical Journal, iii, 331–4.Google Scholar
Biggs, J. T., Holland, W. H., Chang, S. S., Hipps, P. P. & Sherman, W. R. (1976) The electron beam ionization mass fragmentographic analysis of tricyclic antidepressants in human plasma. Journal of Pharmaceutical Science, 65, 261–8.Google Scholar
Braithwaite, R. A., Goulding, R., Theano, G., Bailey, J. & Coppen, A. (1972) Plasma concentration of amitriptyline and clinical response. Lancet, i, 1297–1300.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Braithwaite, R. A., Nakra, B. R. S. & Gaind, R. (1974) Steady-state plasma concentrations during single and multiple dosage schedules of amitriptyline. Psychological Medicine, 4, 338–41.Google Scholar
Burrows, G., Scoggins, B. A., Turecek, L. R. & Davies, B. (1974) Plasma nortriptyline and clinical response. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 16, 639–44.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cosyns, P. (1974) A single daily dose of a sustained release form of amitriptyline in depressive illness. Acta Psychiatrica Belgica, 74, 430–6.Google ScholarPubMed
General Practitioner Clinical Trial (1970) Dosage schedules in general practice. Practitioner, 204, 719–23.Google Scholar
Kragh-S⊘rensen, P., Åsberg, M., Eggert-Hansen, C. (1973) Plasma nortriptyline levels in endogenous depression. Lancet, i, 113–15.Google Scholar
Sedman, G. (1973) Trial of a sustained release form of amitriptyline (Lentizol) in the treatment of depressive illness. British Journal of Psychiatry, 123, 69–71.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sims, A. C. P. (1972) Trial of sustained release form of amitriptyline in the treatment of depressive illness. British Journal of Psychiatry, 120, 65–7.Google Scholar
Whyte, S. F., MacDonald, A. J., Naylor, G. J. & Moody, J. P. (1976) Plasma concentration of protriptyline and clinical effects in depressed women. British Journal of Psychiatry, 128, 384–90.Google Scholar
Ziegler, V. E., Co, B. T., Taylor, J. R., Clayton, P.J. & Biggs, J. T. (1976) Amitriptyline plasma levels and therapeutic response. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 19, 795–801.Google Scholar
Submit a response

eLetters

No eLetters have been published for this article.