Tricyclic antidepressants: indications for use and list of drugs

Depressed patients are often prescribed for successful recovery and drug treatment. These are mainly tricyclic antidepressants.

Consider the list of drugs, what is their action, average prices, available indications for use and possible side effects.

What it is?

Tricyclic antidepressants - drugs that provide stimulating effect, improving appetite and uplifting.

Its distinctive feature is its structure, which is based on the triple carbon ring.

These antidepressants are used in organic diseases of the nervous system, depressions of various kinds and depths, psychosomatic disorders, frequent and causeless panic attacks and increased anxiety.

At the same time, they can be prescribed both for depressive phases, and for chronic depressions and even for the prevention of recurrent seizures.

How do they act?

The principle of action of tricyclic antidepressants is increasing the amount of norepinephrine and serotonin in the brainwhich are responsible for our mood. Also thanks to this drug improves and facilitates the transfer of these elements between neurons.

Indications and contraindications for use

The drug is prescribed in the following situations.:

depressed or anxious state;
depression;
affective insanity;
panic attacks;
somatic disorders;
involutional melancholy;
neurosis.

In addition, tricyclic antidepressants may also prescribe for prophylaxis and follow-up care after taking some other drugs.

Please note that there are the following contraindications of medication in this group:

pregnancy;
breast-feeding;
myocardial infarction, suffered not so long ago;
glaucoma;
individual intolerance to substances that make up the drug.

The negative effect of TCAs on the body

Despite its effectiveness, tricyclic antidepressants have many side effects and can have a negative effect on the body. These include:

rapid weight gain;
drowsiness;
lowering blood pressure;
constipation;
urination disorders;
heart palpitations;
tachycardia;
instability of sexual functions;
violation of erection;
decreased appetite;
nausea;
convulsions;
strong load on the heart;
skin disorders;
liver problems;
blood disorders;
dry mouth;
excessive sweating;
dizziness;
general weakness.

But it should be noted that when the recommendations on the use of the drug are followed and the dosage is gradually increased, side effects appear much less frequently and are less pronounced.

Is it possible to buy without a prescription?

Since drugs classified as tricyclic antidepressants have many side effects, and uncontrolled use can have serious consequences., they can not be bought without a prescription.

Moreover, only a specialist can calculate the correct dosage and control the proper use of the medicine so that it works as it should.

List

The most famous drugs - list:

Amitriptyline;
Azafen;
Anafranil;
Desipramine;
Doxepin;
Zoloft;
Imipramine;
Imizin;
Clomipramine;
Clofranil;
Lerivon;
Ludomyil;
Melipramine;
Maprotiline;
Northliptilin;
Prothlitiline;
Rimipramine;
Saroten Retard;
Saroten;
Tofranil;
Trimipramine;
Fluoroatsizin;
Elavil.

Issue price

On average, prices for tricyclic antidepressants range from 300-500 rubles per pack.

TO most expensive include Anafranil (from 650 rubles), Amitriptyline (from 600 rubles).

If you choose the cheapestthen it will be Krofranil (from 280 rubles), Doxepin (from 250 rubles).

How to take?

Drugs have some differences in admission, albeit minor. therefore best follow instructions to medication or doctor's instructions. Most often, the drug is taken before or immediately after a meal, drink plenty of water.

In most cases, tricyclic antidepressants are prescribed first in small doses, and then they are gradually increased.

Within a month, an optimal dose is reached, which is maintained for a long time. It allows the body get used to the medicine and reduce the chance of side effects.

Even if there are no visible changes in the patient's condition, doctors do not recommend to stop taking the drug.

Most likely, improvement will come soon, and abrupt cancellation may lead to negative consequences.

This also applies to improving well-being.

The patient may decide that he has become much better, therefore the medicine can no longer be drunk. But it is not. Incomplete treatment and abrupt discontinuation of the drug can lead to the return of symptoms and even the development of a deeper depression.

Highly it is important to follow and dosageappointed by a specialist. The decision on its decrease and increase is made only by a doctor, do not do it yourself.

By the end of the course, the doctor will also gradually reduce your dosage until it is reduced to zero.

Abrupt cessation of treatment can cause withdrawal syndrome and will have to undergo treatment again.

What does efficiency depend on?

We have already mentioned above that it happens that the patient does not feel the improvement from taking the drug from the category of tricyclic antidepressants. What could be the reason?

To begin with, it can be temporary occurrence.

The fact is that the peculiarity of such preparations consists precisely in the long duration of treatment.

Experts say that the influence of tricyclics is individual.

But there is one regularity: the deeper the depression, the greater will be the effect of taking the drug, but provided that the dosage and the duration of the course are observed.

Therefore, even if there is no visible effect, the drug should not be thrown earlier than in a month and a half. Maybe, the effect of the medicine is still manifest.

If headaches and insomnia are among the symptoms of depression, then the effect of the drug will be almost immediately. Just a week later, normalization of sleep and a noticeable reduction in pain will occur.

In addition, the effectiveness of treatment with tricyclic antidepressants. depends on the following features:

Age and gender.
Depression Depression.
The manifestation of side effects and their strength.
Violation of the regularity of the application and the prescribed dosage.
Available somatic condition.
Previous treatment, which drugs were used, whether the course was completely completed.
Compatibility with other medications.

Are they addictive?

One of the most common misconceptions is that tricyclic antidepressants cause the patient to addictive.

But it is not. This medicine does not belong to tranquilizers, therefore cannot lead to addiction.

It is likely that this rumor originated from those patients who did not comply with the gradual cessation of treatment.

They developed withdrawal syndrome (which may be accompanied by various symptoms, such as sleep disturbance, irritability, etc.). After that, the specialist could again appoint them to take the drug, so they decided that the drug is addictive.

If you observe a gradual decrease in dosage throughout the month, then there will be no problems.

Subject to all doctor's orders, tricyclic antidepressants show significant effectiveness. But one must also take into account the individual influence on each patient, his features and so on.

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