Imipramine belongs to the drug group of tricyclic antidepressants. Imipramine is mostly used in salt form as so-called imipramine hydrochloride. Imipramine is only available on prescription and may therefore only be taken after medical indication.
Effectiveness
Imipramine is available as dragees and also as film-coated tablets and these contain either 10 mg, 25 mg or 100 mg imipramine hydrochloride. The doctor decides which dosage is to be chosen individually for the patient.
Fields of application
Imipramine can be used for the following diseases or symptoms:
- Depressive diseases
- Long-term pain treatment
- Treatment of bed-wetting and night terrors
Contraindications
Imipramine must not be used if any of the following cases are present: Imipramine may only be used under strict medical supervision and control if the following statements apply or were applicable to the patient
- Hypersensitivity to one of the ingredients
- Acute alcohol poisoning
- Acute sleeping pill poisoning
- Acute painkiller poisoning
- Acute psychotropic drug intoxication
- Acute urinary retention
- Acute deliria
- Untreated increased intraocular pressure
- Enlargement of the prostate
- Narrowing of the stomach outlet
- Bowel Paralysis
- Treatment with other drugs for depression
- Recovery phase after a heart attack
- Severe liver damage
- Severe kidney damage
- Increased readiness to cramp
- Blood formation disorders
- Adrenal market tumors
- Pre-damage of the heart
Imipramine for children
Imipramine should not be used for the treatment of children and adolescents under 18 years of age, as studies in this age group have shown no therapeutic benefit from this type of therapy. In addition, the serious potential side effects, such as those on the cardiovascular system, are even more serious in children. There are no data available to date regarding long-term use in children and adolescents in terms of growth, maturation, mental and behavioral development. Children under the age of 5 years should not be treated with imipramine even for the indications for imipramine such as bed-wetting and night terrors, as no empirical data are available for these indications.
