Imipramine blood levels and clinical outcome.

Fifty-one depressed inpatients, after 1 drug-free week, were treated for 5 weeks with imipramine 4 mg/kg day. Plasma levels of imipramine (IMI) and its active metabolite desmethylimipramine (DMI) were measured weekly, 15 hours after the last drug intake. Steady state blood levels (IMI + DMI) ranged from 60 to 585 ng/ml.