title: Antidepressant drugs and heart electrical field.
abstract: Some antidepressant drugs, especially tricyclic ones--(TCA), have cardiovascular side effects. To compare the effects of antidepressant drugs, the electrocardiogram (ECG), vectorcardiogram (VCG), and body surface maps (BSM) were recorded in psychiatric patients without cardiovascular diseases treated by a) TCA amitriptyline or dosulepin (daily dose 50-200 mg, 22 patients), b) lithium (serum level 0.66 +/- 0.08 meq/l, 21 patients), c) selective serotonine reuptake inhibitor citalopram (daily doses 20-60 mg, 30 patients), and in 23 control patients. In the TCA-treated patients, the heart rate was increased, QT and RR intervals shortened (p < 0.01, antimuscarinic effect). This was not observed in lithium- and citalopram-treated patients. All antidepressants decreased the absolute maximum values of depolarization isointegral maps, lithium and TCA reduced the initial and citalopram the later phase of depolarization. Citalopram slightly diminished the amplitude of the R wave. The results confirm the antimuscarinic effects of TCA in therapeutic doses and specify the intraventricular effects of antidepressants.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Slavícek
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Paclt
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hamplová
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kittnar
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Trefný
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Horácek
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000639:Amitriptyline / Q000009:adverse effects; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic / Q000009:adverse effects; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015283:Citalopram / Q000009:adverse effects; D004308:Dothiepin / Q000009:adverse effects; D004562:Electrocardiography; D004594:Electrophysiology; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008094:Lithium / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D018727:Muscarinic Antagonists; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects; D013610:Tachycardia / Q000139:chemically induced
chemical_list: D000639:Amitriptyline; D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic; D015283:Citalopram; D004308:Dothiepin; D008094:Lithium; D018727:Muscarinic Antagonists; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors