Deserpidine

Patients receiving electroconvulsive therapy, depression or a history of depression, active peptic ulcer or ulcerative colitis, Parkinson's disease.

Debilitated or elderly patients, cardiac arrhythmias, MI, renal insufficiency, gallstones, epilepsy, allergic conditions, pheochromocytoma.

Nasal congestion, headache, CNS symptoms, GI disturbances. resp distress, cyanosis, anorexia and lethargy may occur in infants whose mothers have received deserpidine prior to delivery. At higher doses, flushing, bradycardia, severe depression, extrapyramidal effects, breast engorgement, galactorrhoea, gynaecomastia, increased prolactin concentrations, decreased libido, impotence, Na retention, oedema, decreased or increased appetite, wt gain, miosis, dry mouth, sialorrhoea, dysuria, rashes, pruritus, thrombocytopaenic purpura.

Adrenaline, sympathomimetics, thiazide diuretics, other antihypertensives, MAOIs, digitalis or quinidine, CNS depressants.

Description:
Mechanism of Action: Deserpidine causes depletion of noradrenaline stores in peripheral sympathetic nerve terminals and depletion of catecholamine and serotonin stores in the brain, heart, and many other organs resulting in a reduction in BP, bradycardia and CNS depression. The hypotensive effect is mainly due to a reduction in cardiac output and peripheral resistance. CV reflexes are partially inhibited, but postural hypotension is rarely a problem. It is used in the treatment of hypertension and psychoses.

Other Antihypertensives