Concentrations of desipramine in elderly women.

Seven elderly depressed women were given desipramine, and plasma concentrations of the drug were measured from blood samples drawn after a single dose and during long-term use. The concentrations were no different from those found in younger patients. Aging does not seem to alter the plasma concentration of desipramine, and the authors conclude that the increased incidence and severity of the drug's side effects are probably not due to high drug concentrations.