Title: Damage Done By Overdosing on Tricyclic Antidepressants Word Count: 526 Summary: Tricyclic antidepressants are among the most effective means to combat depression, but pose a considerable risk to the person in the event of an overdose. They can do considerable damage to the body, particularly to the heart and circulatory system. If not treated early enough, an overdose can also put a person into a coma, eventually killing them. Keywords: antidepressants Article Body: Tricylcic antidepressants are used to treat depression, as the name indicates. There are some that may be used as an effective treatment for varying degrees of anxiety, but for the most part, doctors don't stray too far. They have also been known to be useful in treating a variety of other conditions, apart form depression and anxiety. Primarily, they can be considered alternative treatments for migraines and neuropathic pain. However, as useful as they are, no sane doctor is going to prescribe amounts of tricyclic antidepressants that might be considered too high. This is because these medications, in high enough amounts, have been known to cause fatalities. According to statistics, nearly 2% of people who had overdoses of antidepressant medication died from an overdose of tricyclic antidepressants. There are a number of signs that signify that someone has overdosed on the aforementioned medication. Most people who overdose suddenly find that their bodies have become lethargic, with a heightened sense of agitation also being a common sign. The muscles are also adversely affected, with various areas of the body undergoing involuntary twitching, seizures, and jerky movements. Low blood pressure and heart rate have also been associated with overdoses of tricyclic antidepressants, though these usually occur in the more advanced stages. Disturbances in the heart rhythm, sometimes to a potentially fatal level, have been known to be common if the problem is not addressed early enough. It should be noted that all of the above can be overdose signs of other drugs, though a simple blood test is often enough to identify the source of the problem. The approach taken to dealing with anyone who has experienced an overdose on the above medication is the same as the approach taken with anyone who has overdosed or been poisoned. As such, the initial procedure is to stabilize the vital signs of the victim. In the case of an overdose of tricyclic antidepressants, this step usually involves low blood pressure and the use of intravenous liquids to rectify that problem. Breathing could be a problem at any stage of poisoning, though it is most difficult to start and stabilize if the overdose has caused the victim to enter into a comatose state. Some also use muscle relaxants in treating overdoses, particularly if the body is convulsing or experiencing spasms. Sodium bicarbonate can sometimes be used to prevent the effects of the medication from reaching the heart, though there is no pharmaceutical means to counter the other effects. Most people should realize that in the event of an overdose, people may not appear ill at first. However, the effects can rapidly appear and will quickly become life-threatening if not subjected to proper treatment on time. Interestingly, most cases of overdose of tricyclics are considered to be intentional. Alcohol has been known to increase the intensity of some of the side effects of the medication, and should not be taken with such. Some patients have also reported becoming depressed in connection with an overdose. As such, once the physical treatment has been completed, most doctors recommend that the patient undergo some sort of psychiatric evaluation as soon as they are physically able to.