This site is intended for healthcare professionals

Sign in
Go to /sign-in page

You can view 5 more pages without signing in

Tricyclic antidepressants

Authoring team

Tricyclic antidepressants are widely prescribed drugs which are effective in treating depression and a range of other disorders.

Tricyclic antidepressants should be used with care because they are dangerous in overdose.

The choice of a particular tricyclic is usually made according to the spectrum of side-effects for each compound:

  • sedative tricylcics e.g. amitriptyline are used where sleep disturbance and anxiety are predominant
  • imipramine, which is non-sedating or stimulating, is used where psychomotor retardation is predominant
  • lofepramine is used in patients who:
    • cannot tolerate side-effects
    • are at risk of deliberate self-harm by overdosage

Related pages

Create an account to add page annotations

Create a free account

Annotations allow you to add information to this page that would be handy to have on hand during a consultation. E.g. a website or number. This information will always show when you visit this page.

The content herein is provided for informational purposes and does not replace the need to apply professional clinical judgement when diagnosing or treating any medical condition. A licensed medical practitioner should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions.

Connect

Copyright 2024 Oxbridge Solutions Limited, a subsidiary of OmniaMed Communications Limited. All rights reserved. Any distribution or duplication of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. Oxbridge Solutions receives funding from advertising but maintains editorial independence.