A patient is prescribed imipramine for the treatment of depression. The nurse should educate the patient about which dangerous side effect?

Explanation

• Imipramine and other tricyclic antidepressants have many side effects that can be potentially lethal due to their narrow therapeutic index (i.e. the therapeutic dose is close to the toxic dose).

• Symptoms of overdose with tricyclic antidepressants can develop within two hours and include tachycardia, drowsiness, nausea and vomiting, confusion, agitation, and headache.

• Severe complications include hypotension, cardiac arrhythmias, apnea, seizures, and death.

• Tricyclic antidepressants are no longer common due to their large side effect profile and the risk of overdose.

Visit our website for other NCLEX topics now!