A double-blind, placebo-controlled assessment of nortriptyline's side-effects during 3-year maintenance treatment in elderly patients with recurrent major depression.
Publication/Presentation Date
12-1-1999
Abstract
The authors assessed the severity of nortriptyline's side-effects in older patients with recurrent major depression during placebo-controlled, double-blind maintenance therapy. Data were from 37 patients completing 2-3 years of maintenance therapy; 29 were on nortriptyline and eight were on placebo. The authors detected a time-by-treatment interaction for dry mouth (greater in nortriptyline-treated patients), but no increased association of nortriptyline with constipation, weight change or orthostatic symptoms. Heart rate was consistently higher in nortriptyline-maintained patients as compared with placebo. The total 'side-effect' score on the Asberg Rating Scale, as well as complaints of physical tiredness, daytime sleepiness and nocturnal sleep disturbance, were related primarily to residual depression rather than treatment with nortriptyline.
Volume
14
Issue
12
First Page
1014
Last Page
1018
ISSN
0885-6230
Published In/Presented At
Marraccini, R. L., Reynolds, C. F., 3rd, Houck, P. R., Miller, M. D., Frank, E., Perel, J. M., Cornes, C., Mazumdar, S., & Kupfer, D. J. (1999). A double-blind, placebo-controlled assessment of nortriptyline's side-effects during 3-year maintenance treatment in elderly patients with recurrent major depression. International journal of geriatric psychiatry, 14(12), 1014–1018.
Disciplines
Medicine and Health Sciences | Psychiatry
PubMedID
10607968
Department(s)
Department of Psychiatry
Document Type
Article