Master Tricyclic Antidepressants (TCAs) with a Mnemonic

TCAs are highly effective for the treatment of depression. Amitriptyline and nortriptyline are commonly used to treat major depression.

The TCA drug imipramine is used to treat nocturnal enuresis (bedwetting).

Amitriptyline is a TCA drug which can be used to treat fibromyalgia. This disease is described by chronic widespread pain and allodynia (a heightened and painful response to pressure).

Clomipramine is often used to treat obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), an anxiety disorder characterized by unreasonable thoughts and fears (obsessions) that leads patients to carry out repetitive behaviors (compulsions).

TCA drugs can be remembered by the "-ipramine" and "-iptyline" suffixes, which apply to most TCAs.

This is the most common TCA and is used for depression, and is a first-line medication for fibromyalgia and chronic pain. Amitriptyline has more anticholinergic effects than other TCAs, sometimes causing muscle stiffness, nausea, constipation, nervousness, dizziness, tremor, blurred vision, urinary retention, and changes in sexual function.

This TCA is used for depression and is less sedating and has less side effects than other drugs in its class. Desipramine, however, has a narrow therapeutic index and can easily be overdosed.

Clomipramine is a medication primarily used to treat OCD, obsessive compulsive disorder. It also can be used to depression and anxiety disorders.

Imipramine is a TCA which is commonly used for nocturnal enuresis (bedwetting) because of its ability to decrease the delta-wave stage of sleep (when bedwetting typically occurs).

Nortriptyline is a TCA used for depression, which has less side effects than 1st generation TCA medications. Though it has α₁ blockade effects, it has less influence on hypotension than other drugs in its class. Nortriptyline keeps blood pressure NORmal.