The use of intravenous chlorimipramine in the treatment of obsessive compulsive disorder.

Obsessional disorder has always remained a difficult illness for psychiatrists to treat with response to therapy, both psychotherapy and chemotherapy, being low. A review of the traditional approaches to the treatment of obsessional disorder is done, including a brief review of the literature on intravenous chlorimipramine. Five case histories of patients with previously non-responsive obsessional disorder are summarized. All five cases were treated in hospital with a series of infusions of intravenous chlorimipramine. The drug and route of administration was extremely well tolerated with rapid and dramatic relief of obsessional symptoms as well as improvement of mood in all cases. The theoretical action of chlorimipramine is discussed as well as possible reasons why the intravenous route appears to be superior to the oral form.