Nonlinear desipramine pharmacokinetics: a case study.
A case of nonlinear desipramine pharmacokinetics is described. During routine clinical monitoring serum desipramine concentrations appeared to change disproportionately with dose. Following a series of controlled dosage decreases, from 400 to 50 mg/day, the patient's steady state serum concentrations fit a nonlinear pharmacokinetic model. This curvilinear serum concentration-dose relationship suggests saturation of hepatic metabolism and signals the need for caution when predicting or titrating doses against serum drug concentrations. The implications of this new finding are discussed.
D000368:Aged; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy; D003891:Desipramine / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male
D003891:Desipramine