Abstract
The serum concentrations of imipramine and its pharmacologically active metabolites were followed during resin hemoperfusion for imipramine overdose. The initial serum concentration of 2-hydroxyimipramine plus 2-hydroxy-desipramine was 13.3% of the total tricyclic antidepressant level (imipramine + desipramine + hydroxymetabolites). Despite high extraction ratios (≥0.75) and clearances (130-180 mL/min) for both imipramine and its metabolites, the calculated amount of drug removed was small. Only 0.91% of the estimated dose ingested was removed as imipramine, 0.52% as desipramine, and 0.33% as hydroxylated metabolites. While the hydroxylated metabolites of imipramine may contribute to its toxicity, it is unlikely that the small amount removed can explain reports of apparent clinical benefit from hemoperfusion.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 239-248 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| Journal | Clinical Toxicology |
| Volume | 19 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 1982 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:Supported by Grant No. 20852 while Dr DeVane was a Fellow, Clinical Pharmacokinetics Laboratory, Millard Fillmore Hospital, Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, State University of New York at Buffalo.