title: Tricyclic antidepressant plasma level monitoring: an improvement over the dose-response approach.
abstract: Monitoring plasma levels of tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) can facilitate treatment response by providing objective guidelines for dosage adjustment. It provides a means of assessing the patient's compliance and ensuring the maintenance of an adequate medication trial while avoiding the complications of drug toxicity. The traditional dose-response method of medication adjustment depends on several assumptions that are not met in the case of TCAs, which makes plasma monitoring particularly useful for patients receiving most TCAs.
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Preskorn
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood*; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001463:Barbiturates / Q000494:pharmacology; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000187:drug effects; D002648:Child; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004347:Drug Interactions; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D001463:Barbiturates