Comparison of the electrocardiographic effect of dothiepin and amitriptyline

J Clin Psychiatry. 1984 Jul;45(7):291-3.

Abstract

Electrocardiograms of 65 patients treated with dothiepin, a sulphur substituted tricyclic antidepressant, were compared to those of 57 patients receiving amitriptyline and 62 patients given placebo. Amitriptyline produced an average heart rate increase of 10 beats/minute as compared to 5 beats/minute for dothiepin (p less than .02). Amitriptyline also produced a significant prolongation of the corrected QT interval as compared to both dothiepin and placebo (p less than .01 and p less than .001, respectively). Dothiepin had no significant effect on any index of myocardial conduction (PR interval, corrected QT interval, and QRS duration) as compared to placebo.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Comparative Study
  • Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Amitriptyline / pharmacology*
  • Amitriptyline / therapeutic use
  • Clinical Trials as Topic
  • Depressive Disorder / drug therapy
  • Depressive Disorder / physiopathology
  • Dibenzothiepins / pharmacology*
  • Dothiepin / pharmacology*
  • Dothiepin / therapeutic use
  • Double-Blind Method
  • Electrocardiography*
  • Female
  • Heart Rate / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Placebos

Substances

  • Dibenzothiepins
  • Placebos
  • Amitriptyline
  • Dothiepin