Psychosomatics 1990; 31:273-276
Copyright © 1990 by Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine
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ORIGINAL RESEARCH REPORTS |
Drug-drug interactions of fluoxetine with tricyclics
S von Ammon Cavanaugh
Department of Psychiatry, Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612.
The drug-drug interactions with fluoxetine, a pure serotonergic reuptake
blocker with a unique profile of side effects, have not been studied
adequately. This preliminary report shows that desipramine and
nortriptyline plasma levels are markedly increased at steady state (2 to 11
times) when coadministered with fluoxetine. This appears to be the result
of the inhibition of the P450 enzyme system of the liver by fluoxetine,
resulting in increased plasma levels of drugs metabolized by this system.
Research must promptly address drug-drug interactions with fluoxetine since
potentially all psychotropic drugs (except for lithium) and many medically
indicated drugs could also have significant drug-drug interactions with
fluoxetine.
