Abstract
Imipramine, a new mood-elevating drug, has been used in a variety of psychiatric settings. It has been found that a considerable proportion (30%) of chronically depressed patients and about 50% of acutely depressed patients are improved by the drug and that these improvements are as good as those obtained by electroconvulsive therapy. Few of the side-effects are severe. However, vascular deaths or complications in the older age group are being reported; there are two in this project. Material, to date, indicates that certain cases become grossly disturbed on the drug in a psychiatric sense, either aggressively, in a schizophrenic manner or by manic over-reaction. The indications for the administration of the drug are less cut and dried than previous authors have indicated. Patients of all ages, types of depression, degrees of severity and duration of illness have improved. It is a useful drug, and one which increases the spectrum of psychiatric treatment of depression, although not providing the final answer.
We wish to express our appreciation to Geigy Pharmaceuticals; Doctor J. N. Hagan, Medical Superintendent; the Medical and Nursing Staff of the Ontario Hospital, Toronto, and particularly to Mrs. King and Mrs. Fuhr, Research Nurses, whose help and support made this study possible; Dr. A. M. Doyle and the Nursing Staff of the St. Michael's Hospital Psychiatric Unit; and the Nursing Staff of the Day Hospital.