Why the study?
Does routine desipramine treatment cause ECG changes in elderly depressed in-patients?
Does routine desipramine treatment cause ECG changes in elderly depressed in-patients?
Routine desipramine treatment in elderly depressed patients is associated with potentially clinically significant ECG changes, suggesting its cardiac safety profile in this population may need re-evaluation.
May warrant ECG monitoring with desipramine in elderly patients; leaves open cardiac safety questions for prospective trials.
ECG parameters in elderly depressed in-patients were assessed during routine desipramine treatment. Significant changes (prolonged PR and PRS intervals and a decreased QTc interval) were found, related only to steady state concentrations of desipramine's major metabolite--2-hydroxy-desipramine. Potentially clinically significant changes developed in 40% of the patients. All serum drug concentrations were within therapeutic limits. Previous assurances about desipramines's cardiac safety in the elderly may need to be re-evaluated.
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Kutcher et al. (1986) studied this question.
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