Related Experiment Videos
A review of cyclic antidepressant-induced blood dyscrasias
1College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville 32610.
Insights
Tricyclic antidepressants can cause blood dyscrasias like agranulocytosis and eosinophilia. This review details associated symptoms, onset, and recovery times for various blood abnormalities.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Hematology
- Toxicology
Background:
- Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) are widely prescribed for depression.
- TCAs share structural similarities with phenothiazines, known to cause blood dyscrasias.
- Literature review to identify cases of blood dyscrasias linked to TCAs.
Observation:
- MEDLINE database search using terms: blood, abnormalities, dyscrasias, antidepressants, agranulocytosis, eosinophilia.
- Included human studies published in English, excluding letters to the editor with insufficient data.
- Extracted data on drug, onset, recovery, and symptoms for each reported case.
Findings:
- A comprehensive table details various blood dyscrasias associated with TCA use.
- Specific data on onset, recovery timelines, and presenting symptoms are provided for each case.
- Common symptoms across different blood dyscrasias are analyzed.
Implications:
- Understanding the link between TCAs and blood dyscrasias is crucial for patient safety.
- Structural similarities to phenothiazines may explain the hematological risks.
- Recommendations for managing both blood dyscrasias and underlying depression are discussed.
Objective:
To review the literature for cases of blood dyscrasias associated with cyclic antidepressants. Several types of blood dyscrasias are discussed.
Data Sources:
All references were selected through the use of MEDLINE. Indexing terms were blood, abnormalities, dyscrasias, antidepressants, agranulocytosis, and eosinophilia. The only constraints were English language and human subjects.
Study Selection:
All cases were included except for letters to the editor of various journals when pertinent data such as doses and additional medications were omitted.
Data Synthesis:
The review provides a table listing the different blood dyscrasias and the drug the patient was receiving. The table also includes time of onset, time to recovery, and several symptoms for each patient.
Conclusions:
Common symptoms of various blood dyscrasias are discussed. The chemical structures of the antidepressants are related to phenothiazines, which are also implicated in causing blood dyscrasias. Recommendations for treatment of both the dyscrasia and depression are discussed.