CARDIAC ARRHYTHMIA AND TRICYCLIC ANTIDEPRESSANT THERAPY

Abstract

Summary: A case has been described who developed superaventricular tachycardia, hypotension and atropine like effects on prolonged modest therapeutic dosage of tricyclic antidepressant drug amitriptyline. These side effects abated on cessation of the drug and recurred on restarting of amitriptyline, cardiac dysrhythmia was successfully treated by propranolol. The literature has been reviewed and a possibility of undue sensitivity of the patient systems to the modest therapeutic dosage of amitriptyline has been suggested.