Drug Interactions between amphetamine and clomipramine

GENERALLY AVOID: Alcohol may potentiate the cardiovascular effects of amphetamines. The exact mechanism of interaction is unknown. In one study, concurrent administration of methamphetamine (30 mg intravenously) and ethanol (1 gm/kg orally over 30 minutes) increased heart rate by 24 beats/minute compared to methamphetamine alone. This increases cardiac work and myocardial oxygen consumption, which may lead to more adverse cardiovascular effects than either agent alone. Subjective effects of ethanol were diminished in the eight study subjects, but those of methamphetamine were not affected. The pharmacokinetics of methamphetamine were also unaffected except for a decrease in the apparent volume of distribution at steady state. The interaction was suspected in a case report of a 20-year-old male who experienced retrosternal chest pain shortly after drinking alcohol and taking a double dose of his amphetamine/dextroamphetamine medication (Adderall 15 mg X 2) to stay alert. The patient had no family history of cardiovascular diseases, and his past medical history was remarkable only for ADHD. Prior to the episode, the patient had not taken his medication for weeks and had been drinking whiskey the previous three nights before going to bed. The patient was diagnosed with myocardial infarction likely secondary to amphetamine-induced coronary vasospasm.

MANAGEMENT: Concomitant use of amphetamines and alcohol should be avoided if possible, especially in patients with a history of heart disease.

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MONITOR: Limited data suggest that the administration of clomipramine with grapefruit juice or cranberry juice may significantly increase plasma drug concentrations of clomipramine. Clomipramine is initially demethylated by CYP450 1A2, 3A3 and 3A4 before undergoing further metabolism to 8-hydroxyclomipramine. The increase in clomipramine bioavailability may stem from inhibition of CYP450 3A4-mediated first-pass metabolism in the gut wall by certain compounds present in grapefruits. The precise mechanism by which cranberry juice exerts its effects is unknown, but may involve inhibition of CYP450 isoenzymes. This interaction has occasionally been exploited in attempts to improve symptomatic control of obsessive compulsive disorder.

MANAGEMENT: Patients receiving clomipramine therapy who ingest cranberry juice, grapefruits, or grapefruit juice should be monitored for adverse effects and undue fluctuations in plasma drug levels.

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GENERALLY AVOID: The combination of ethanol and a tricyclic antidepressant may result in additive impairment of motor skills, especially driving skills. Also, one study has suggested that clomipramine metabolism is significantly impaired for several weeks or more following discontinuation of chronic alcohol consumption.

MANAGEMENT: Patients should be warned of this interaction and advised to limit their ethanol intake while taking tricyclic antidepressants. Monitoring for TCA toxicity (CNS depression, excessive anticholinergic effects, hypotension, arrhythmias) is recommended during alcohol withdrawal.

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