Anafranil

Anafranil product description

Drug uses

Anafranil is a tricyclic antidepressant, serotonin and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor. The drug exerts an antidepressant effect and has antiserotoninergic, antihistaminic and anticholinergic activity. Anafranil is recommended for use in adults and adolescents aged 10 years and older for the treatment of:

• major depression
• cataplexy associated with narcolepsy
• obsessions and compulsions in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder

The initial recommended dose for adults is 25 mg of Anafranil per day. Then, the daily dose of the antidepressant Anafranil can be gradually increased to about 100 mg per day. Anafranil daily dose can be increased to 250 mg for the treatment of severe psychiatric disorders.

The recommended Anafranil dose for teenagers aged 10 to 17 years (inclusive) is 25 mg a day. Having regard to the tolerance, Anafranil dose for children can be gradually increased up to 100 mg per day. The initial dose of Anafranil for elderly patients is 20-30 mg per day.

Missed dose

The patients are required to adhere to the established dosing regimen and not double an Anafranil dose, even if they missed a dose, during the entire period of mental disorders drug therapy.

To prevent an overdose, the patient should skip the missed dose, if the time for taking the next Anafranil dose is soon to come. If the patient can not remember, whether he or she took Anafranil, it is recommended to skip the next dose, and to take the following antidepressant dose at the usual time.

More information

Anafranil is recommended to be taken in divided doses during meals for reducing the risk of gastrointestinal side effects. After titration, the daily Anafranil dose can be taken once a day, at bedtime. The evening dose of Anafranil helps maintaining a significant antidepressant effect, and causes no unwanted daytime sleepiness.

Storage

Anafranil capsules should be protected from heat and stored in a dry place at temperature below 30°C, out of reach of children.

Anafranil safety information

Warnings

Anafranil should be prescribed with great caution to patients with arrhythmias, cardiovascular insufficiency, conduction disorders. The listed groups of patients should systematically undergo cardiac function monitoring and the ECG. Anafranil may cause chronic constipation in bedridden and elderly patients.

Since the drug has anticholinergic effects, it should be used with caution in patients with narrow-angle glaucoma and increased intraocular pressure. Anafranil may cause symptoms of manic and hypomanic states in patients with major depressive disorder. The dose of Anafranil antidepressant should be reduced, if such symptoms manifest.

Disclaimer

All available information about the tricyclic antidepressant Anafranil is accurate at the time of its publication and should not be considered as a substitute for consulting a psychologist or a psychotherapist. The online pharmacy assumes no responsibility for how and for what purpose people use the published information on antidepressant Anafranil.

Anafranil side effects

Anafranil apsules may cause one or more adverse events. Some undesirable effects of Anafranil may require drug therapy cessation. Clinical studies have shown that about 5% of patients stopped taking Anafranil capsules due to excessive sleepiness.

Unwanted sleepiness is the most common reason for Anafranil abolition. A little more than 1% of the patients, participating in clinical trials, stopped taking Anafranil due to gastrointestinal disorders (constipation, dry mouth, dyspepsia, nausea).

In addition to drowsiness and digestive disorders, Anafranil may cause: vertigo, erectile dysfunction, headache, flushes, sweating, decreased blood pressure, increased appetite, weight increase, anorexia, decreased libido, labored urination, seizures, nervousness, restlessness, tachycardia, tremor, and blurred vision. In most patients with depression, Anafranil causes soft, reversible adverse events, which do not require the antidepressant cessation.