The effect of toxic and therapeutic doses of tricyclic antidepressant drugs on intracardiac conduction.

Intracardiac conduction studies using His bundle electrography (HBE) were performed in 14 patients admitted to hospital following an overdosage of one of the tricyclic antidepressant drugs and in another 12 patients before and during administration of therapeutic doses of nortriptylline. Amongst the former group, 7 of 8 patients showed impaired distal intracardiac conduction (H-V interval) following overdosages of nortriptyline, imipramine or amitriptyline but none of the 6 patients with doxepin overdosage. The prolonged H-V interval had returned to normal at a repeat study 7 days later.

Hypnosis in medical practice.

Hypnosis has a role in medical practice as an adjunct to many therapies. A brief review of the history, theory, induction procedures, phenomena and practice of hypnosis is given. The use of hypnosis in the therapy of anxiety is illustrated by a report of a 44-year-old woman suffering from an aeroplane phobia.

Intracardiac conduction defects following overdose of tricyclic antidepressant drugs.

Atrioventricular and intraventricular conduction were assessed in 4 patients with tricyclic antidepressant overdosage. The proximal or A-V nodal conduction (A-H) was normal, but 3 patients showed a drug-related increase in the QRS duration and His-Purkinje (H-V) conduction time. One patient with a normal H-V interval had a normal width QRS.

A comparative study of four depression rating scales.

Comparisons were made between the overall scores on the Beck, Hamilton, Zung and a visual analogue rating scale in a group of depressed patients. The comparisons were made initially and at one, two and three weeks. Significant correlations between the global scores were found on these depression scales.

Assessment of cardiovascular side effects of therapeutic doses of tricyclic anti-depressant drugs.

An assessment of the side effects of therapeutic doses of tricyclic anti-depressant drugs was attempted in 32 patients with depressive illness. The patients studied had no evidence of clinical heart disease or hypertension and were not receiving any other drugs. Moderate increase in heart rate and mild prolongation of atrioventricular conduction occurred.