Tofranil
Tofranil (generic name: Imipramine) is an antidepressant medication of the tricyclic class. Medications in this class are often referred to as tricyclic antidepressants or TCAs. Depression is defined as an all-pervasive sense of sadness and gloom. In patients with depression, abnormal levels of chemicals in the brain (called neurotransmitters) may be the cause of their depression. These neurotransmitters are what the nerves in the brain use to communicate with each other. Imipramine elevates mood by raising the level of neurotransmitters in brain tissue. Imipramine also is used for childhood enuresis (bedwetting), several disorders associated with chronic pain, and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD. Imipramine was first synthesized in the late 1940s and was approved by the FDA for depression in 1959 and for enuresis in 1973.
Tofranil Imipramine interacts with other medications and drugs that slow the brain’s processes, such as alcohol, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, e.g. lorazepam (Ativan), diazepam (Valium), temazepam (Restoril), oxazepam (Serax), clonazepam (Klonopin), zolpidem (Ambien), and narcotics. Reserpine, given to patients taking TCAs, can cause agitation and anxiety. Imipramine and other TCAs should not be used with monoamine oxidase inhibiting drugs, for example, isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), tranylcypromine (Parnate), and procarbazine (Matulane), since high fever, convulsions and even death can occur.
Concurrent use of cimetidine (Tagamet) can increase imipramine blood levels by reducing elimination of imipramine from the body and possibly lead to imipramine- related side effects. Other drugs which share this effect include propafenone (Rythmol), flecainide (Tonocard), quinidine (Quinidex, Quinaglute), and fluoxetine (Prozac).
Tofranil side effects
The most commonly encountered side effects associated with tofranil include fast heart rate, blurred vision, urinary difficulty urinating, dry mouth, constipation, weight gain or loss, and low blood pressure when standing. Rash, hives, seizures, and hepatitis are rare side effects. Tofranil also can cause elevated pressure in the eyes of some patients with glaucoma. Overdose with imipramine can cause life-threatening abnormal heart rhythms or seizures.
Following prolonged therapy in high doses, abrupt discontinuation of TCAs, including imipramine, could lead to certain cholinergic symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. Therefore, many experts recommend gradually reducing the dose of drug if the drug is to be discontinued.