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Cimetidine-induced mania in depressed patients
The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry
|July 1, 1983
Summary
Cimetidine, a medication for acid reflux, can cause psychiatric side effects like agitation and euphoria in some patients. Discontinuing the drug relieved symptoms, suggesting a direct link between cimetidine and these adverse psychiatric events.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Pharmacology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Cimetidine is a histamine H2 receptor antagonist widely used for treating gastrointestinal conditions.
- Psychiatric disorders encompass a range of conditions affecting mood, thinking, and behavior.
Observation:
- Two psychiatric patients in remission experienced significant behavioral changes after initiating cimetidine treatment.
- Observed symptoms included hyperactivity, euphoria, and agitation, indicative of a potential drug-induced state.
Findings:
- Symptomatic relief was achieved in both patients upon cessation of cimetidine.
- One patient experienced a relapse of symptoms upon re-challenge with cimetidine, strongly suggesting a causal relationship.
Implications:
- This case series highlights the potential for cimetidine to induce or exacerbate psychiatric symptoms.
- Clinicians should consider cimetidine as a potential factor in unexplained behavioral changes in psychiatric patients.
- Further research is warranted to elucidate the neurobiological mechanisms underlying cimetidine-induced psychiatric effects.