Relative safety of amitriptyline in maintenance treatment of depression

In the course of long term treatment with amitriptyline of 212 depressed women, the patients' somatic complaints were assessed. These somatic complaints included most symptoms generally attributed as being adverse effects of amitriptyline and other tricyclics. The reputed adverse effects were very often reported by patients prior to the initiation of antidepressant medication. Except for reports of dryness of mouth, all somatic complaints were reduced in frequency and intensity during the course of clinical improvement. When patients relapsed, regardless of whether they were or were not on maintenance medication, these somatic complaints returned. Except for dryness of mouth, no relationship between somatic complaints and dosage of amitriptyline was found. Amitriptyline is relatively safe. No espisodes of death, cardiac arrhythmia liver, blood or central nervous system reaction occurred.