Desipramine: What It Is, What Treatments It Is Used For, And Side Effects
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), depression is a fairly widespread mental disorder, establishing an estimate of 5% of cases in adulthood worldwide, and it is also the main cause of disability. For this reason, various treatments have been investigated from the supply of medications.
Desipramine is a psychotropic drug that is classified within the group of those medications that are commonly called “tricyclic antidepressants” (TCA) that are administered orally, whose doses vary depending on each case; being effective in treating some cases of depression and other mood disorders, etc.
In this article we will see what desipramine is and what it is for what are its side effects, and the therapeutic indications and precautions when consuming this psychotropic drug.
Before explaining in more detail what desipramine is, it is worth explaining how the drugs in the group of drugs work. tricyclic antidepressants, named for their chemical structure, which is made up of 3 rings They are psychotropic drugs that are responsible for non-selectively inhibiting the reuptake of norepinephrine and serotonin by presynaptic neurons, so that thanks to this action the effects of these antidepressants can be kept active for longer in the synaptic space.
It should be noted that tricyclic antidepressants also affect histamine and dopamine, so some side effects such as blurred vision, dizziness, hypotension, sedation, dry mouth, and even weight gain in the patient.
On the other hand, the effect of tricyclic antidepressants usually takes approximately 2 weeks to be observed, and they are not currently the first choice antidepressants for the treatment of depression, although they have demonstrated their effectiveness for this; However, there are more advanced antidepressants on the market such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) that have fewer side effects and are considered safer.
Even so, tricyclic antidepressants, such as desipramine, are still prescribed in some cases due to their proven effectiveness for various cases of depression, insomnia, eating disorders or Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Let’s see, then, how desipramine works.
Desipramine is an antidepressant psychotropic drug that is given orally, whose doses vary depending on the population group and the treatment phase in which each patient is; Typically the initial dose is lower than the maintenance doses.
It should be noted that desipramine, like the rest of psychotropic drugs, must be prescribed under the medical supervision of a specialist, normally a psychiatrist is in charge of these cases. Although this type of medication is also usually prescribed by family doctors due to the lack of specialist mental health professionals, which causes a long waiting list in public healthcare.
On the other hand, It is quite common for treatment with psychotropic drugs to be combined with psychological therapy because psychotherapy has been shown to increase the effectiveness of treatments for mental disorders.
Mechanism of action of desipramine
Desipramine, being a tricyclic antidepressant, It is mainly responsible for inhibiting the reuptake of norepinephrine and also serotonin ; although there are more recent investigations that have found that this psychotropic drug can also cause a desensitization of alpha or beta-adrenergic receptors and also of serotonin in the central nervous system (CNS) by blocking its reuptake by the presynaptic neuronal membrane.
It has also been seen that the antidepressant action of desipramine has a correlation with changes in the characteristics of the receptors rather than with the blockade in the reuptake of neurotransmitters, which could explain the reason why there is no therapeutic response produced by the drug. supply of this type of psychotropic drugs until approximately 2 to 4 weeks have elapsed.
Pharmacokinetic action of desipramine
It should be noted that desipramine It is absorbed more quickly when taken orally, reaching the highest plasma concentrations between 4 and 6 hours after taking; However, as we had already mentioned, its antidepressant effects do not begin to be observed until at least 2 weeks of treatment have passed.
Besides, Desipramine has a half-life between 7 and 60 hours and it is excreted mainly through the kidneys (approximately 70% of this psychotropic drug) for several days.
On the other hand, around 90% of the ingested dose of desipramine binds with blood plasma proteins and its metabolism is pronounced, being exclusively through the liver.
Desipramine is an antidepressant psychotropic drug that can be used in the treatment of various disorders, such as those we are going to discuss below.
1. Depression and other mood disorders
Desipramine, like other antidepressants, It has proven effective in treating certain depressive conditions such as major depression and has even been useful in addressing some cases of dysthymia, atypical depressions and bipolar disorders (in the depressive phase).
And it is that in research carried out with this psychotropic drug it has been observed that it makes modifications in some areas of the brain whose function is related to the processing of information received from the environment, so that thanks to this it can help reduce depressive symptoms.
It has been demonstrated that desipramine is effective in reduce some symptoms of ADHD in children and adolescents who have difficulties in terms of their attention capacity and who also present behaviors of psychomotor restlessness.
3. Neuropathic pain
Desipramine may also be effective in the treatment of some neuropathic pain. by acting on those areas associated with pain receptors who have been affected by some lesions in the central nervous system, and it has been demonstrated that these psychotropic drugs can produce improvements against conditions of this type.
4. Cocaine detox
Desipramine can be prescribed in cases of cocaine detoxification in order to reduce withdrawal symptoms such as the strong desire to use the drug again and also the depression and/or anxiety that it can cause.
Related article: “What is the treatment of cocaine addiction?”
What dose of desipramine is recommended to be administered?
The dose of desipramine that is recommended to be administered depends on various factors such as age or the condition to be treated, so it can vary greatly from one case to another; However, some general indications can be mentioned depending on age.
In adults, the suggested dose of desipramine is about 200 milligrams per day maximum having to be dosed between 2 or 3 intakes of 25-50 milligrams.
In the case of elderly patients, it is normally recommended that doses do not exceed 100 milligrams daily, and must be divided into 2 or 3 intakes of 25-50 milligrams; while in the case of children (over 6 years old) there are no recommended dosage parameters, because in these cases it is less common to be prescribed and would depend on each case and the specialist who made the diagnosis.
As we have already seen, in all cases this type of drug must be consumed under medical prescription and supervision, following the guidelines that the professional has strictly stipulated.
Precautions to take with desipramine
There are a series of precautions that must be taken into account when administering this psychotropic drug, in accordance with the instructions of experts in the field, given that this substance can generate harmful side effects.
This psychotropic drug is not recommended for children under 6 years of age.
People with any type of psychosis should not take desipramine because it could worsen their symptoms.
People with thyroid disease or seizure illness should take caution.
It is contraindicated for people with severe liver disease.
It is contraindicated for people with bipolar disorder when they are in the manic phase.
This medication should not be consumed while breastfeeding or during pregnancy.
People with hypersensitivity to desipramine or imipramine should also not take this drug.
In any case, You should always consult a specialist before taking any psychotropic drug And if you have any type of condition like the ones we just mentioned, it is important that the doctor or psychiatrist know before prescribing desipramine or any psychotropic drug.
Possible side effects of desipramine
Normally, when desipramine is taken, if it has been prescribed by a professional having correctly carried out an evaluation and the corresponding diagnosis, and in turn the patient does not exceed the prescribed doses, there are usually no complications; However, in some cases there could be some side effects and, therefore, it is advisable to know what they could be.
Therefore, we are going to list below the side effects of desipramine:
Headaches.
Drowsiness.
Fatigue.
Dizziness
Nausea.
Weakness.
Difficulty urinating.
Excessive sweating.
Noticeable weight gain or loss.
Fever.
Blurry vision.
Constipation.
Sore throat.
Rashes.
Irregular heartbeat.
Lack of psychomotor coordination.
Seizures.
Muscle spasms.
Dry mouth.
Changes in appetite.
Difficulty speaking.
Yellowing of the eyes or skin.
If some side effects such as those mentioned above occur, that person You should seek urgent medical assistance to be helped by a professional.
