The effect of tricyclic antidepressants (TA) on the circulatory system in primary arterial hypertension.

The cardio-vascular reactions after i.m. application of 0.4 mg/kg of TA (imipramine, amitryptyline and nortryptyline) were compared in normotonics and patients suffering from essential hypertonia. It was found, that systolic blood pressure decreased significantly after the drugs only in hypertonic patients, whereas diastolic blood pressure fall was marked more in the normotonic group. In both groups, no apparent changes in heart action were noticed after the drugs. The TA caused a stronger increase of urine excretion of NE, E, VMA and NMN and MN in hypertonics than in normotonics.