title: Pharmacokinetics of single oral doses of nortriptyline in depressed elderly hospital patients and young healthy volunteers.
abstract: A single oral dose of 75mg nortriptyline was given to a group of 20 depressed elderly patients in hospital. Subsequent plasma nortriptyline concentrations were used to calculate the half-life and clearance of the drug. These measurements were compared with those made previously in 17 healthy young volunteer subjects. Plasma nortriptyline half-life was longer and clearance slower (p < 0.002) in the elderly group than in the volunteers. There was no correlation of age with either of these parameters within the 2 groups, and no differences in nortriptyline pharmacokinetics could be detected between the male and female volunteer subjects. The possible reasons for these findings and their clinical consequences are discussed.
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006207:Half-Life; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D009661:Nortriptyline / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D009661:Nortriptyline