Tricyclics are a type of antidepressant drugs which are used to treat patients suffering from depression and anxiety disorders. They are used to treat insomnia, anxiety, irritable bowel syndrome and bulimia nervosa. They have also been used for schizophrenia, pathological laughing or crying and persistent hiccups. Pediatricians prescribe Tricyclics for treating attention- hyperactivity disorder, school phobia, separation anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder. These antidepressants are also being used to treat migraine prophylaxis and chronic pain. Desipramine, imipramine and amitriptyline are among the most commonly prescribed Tricyclics.
Tricyclics are so called because the atoms in the drugs' molecules are arranged into three rings. These drugs were used for the first time in the 1950s. Most Tricyclic antidepressants have a sedative effect on patients. These drugs prevent the neurons for retaking serotonin and neurotransmitters norepinephrine. The symptoms of many depression patients do not respond to Tricyclics for about 2 to 4 weeks.
Tricyclics were amongst the most commonly prescribed antidepressants for many years. However, they are now being replaced by newer drugs and SSRIs. This is because newer drugs have fewer side effects.
Tricyclics are prescribed when the symptoms of a patient suffering from refractory depression do not respond to SSRIs. Patients do not get addicted to Tricyclics. The drug's side effects usually subside after the depression is suppressed. These side effects include a dry mouth, blurred vision, hyperthermia, urinary retention and a dry nose. Restlessness, drowsiness, weight gain and irregular heart rhythms are some of the other side effects that a person may experience.
An overdose of Tricyclics can be fatal. This is because an overdose affects the heart and central nervous system. The main symptoms of drug poisoning include seizures, hallucinations, hypotension and a disturbance in heart rhythms. The most severe complications of Tricyclic overdose are cardiac dysrhythmias and seizures. Gastric decontamination with the help of activated charcoal is the initial treatment that a patient of Tricyclic overdose undergoes.
A patient of Tricyclic overdose is monitrerd in an ICU for at least 12 hours. Here the patient's blood pressure and heart rate are continuously checked and airways maintained. Sodium bicarbonate may be administered as an antidote. When given intravenously, sodium bicarbonate treats the cardiovascular complications of Tricyclic poisoning. The seizures brought on by a drug overdose usually subside on their own. Benzodiazepine is administered in order to treat muscular hyperactivity. An overdose of Tricyclics is a potential problem among children as pediatricians usually prescribe these drugs to treat depression and bed wetting. To know all about Tricyclics and other antidepressants, log onto anxietyxl.com .
Imipramine (Tofranil)
Clomipramine (Anafranil)
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