Amitriptyline: linear or nonlinear kinetics in every day practice?

Eur J Clin Pharmacol. 1989;37(6):595-8. doi: 10.1007/BF00562551.

Abstract

The linearity of the (AMT) kinetics of amitriptyline has been tested in 135 depressed dosed twice daily by measuring plasma. Their (AMT) and nortriptyline (NT) levels under steady-state conditions. The AMT concentration/dose ratios at low and high dosages were not significantly different and there was a linear relationship between the dose ratios and the concentration ratios. No change in the metabolic ratio (AMT/NT) was observed between the two dosages. Although the results are consistent with linear AMT kinetics, there may have been nonlinear kinetics in some patients as the ratio between the concentration/dose ratios in them at low and high dosages was greater than one. Those patients were characterized by a low concentration/dose ratio at low dosage. No clinical adverse effect appeared in the study.

MeSH terms

  • Amitriptyline / administration & dosage
  • Amitriptyline / blood
  • Amitriptyline / pharmacokinetics*
  • Biotransformation
  • Depression / drug therapy*
  • Humans
  • Linear Models
  • Nortriptyline / blood*

Substances

  • Amitriptyline
  • Nortriptyline