Posted by SLS on May 12, 2008, at 6:07:51
In reply to Re: Tofranil...How long to work??? » SLS, posted by Phillipa on May 11, 2008, at 20:48:15
> Can't they do blood levels on TCA's? Phillipa
Yes. However, it doesn't reliably indicate clinical outcome. The one exception to this is nortriptyline. It is the most well studied TCA regarding a concentration-response curve. It is known that nortriptyline, unlike the other TCAs has a window of efficacy. If you take too much, you relapse. Even so, blood levels offer a guideline, but not an absolute gage of efficacy/effectiveness.
To look at blood levels of the other TCAs at equalibrium will indicate whether or not one is a rapid metabolizer or slow metabolizer. Again, this can produce a guideline for dosing, but the drug must still be titrated clinically.
poster:SLS
thread:828569
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20080510/msgs/828649.html