Effect of Paroxetine on Plasma Vasopressin and Water Load Testing in Elderly Individuals

• Published in: Journal of geriatric psychiatry and neurology Vol. 13; no. 4; pp. 212 - 216
• Main Authors: Marar, Isam E., Towers, Adele L., Mulsant, Benoit H., Pollock, Bruce G., Amico, Janet A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Thousand Oaks, CA Sage Publications 2000; Decker; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
• Subjects: Aged; Arginine Vasopressin - blood; Biological and medical sciences; Depressive Disorder, Major - drug therapy; Depressive Disorder, Major - physiopathology; Drug toxicity and drugs side effects treatment; Female; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Miscellaneous (drug allergy, mutagens, teratogens...); Paroxetine - adverse effects; Paroxetine - therapeutic use; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Water-Electrolyte Balance - drug effects; Water-Electrolyte Balance - physiology; Human; Paroxetine; Hydroelectrolytic balance disorder; Hyponatremia; Serotonin; Toxicity; Peptide hormone; Reuptake inhibitor; Neuropeptide; Inorganic element; Vasopressin; Blood plasma; Metabolic disorder; Neurohypophyseal hormone; Piperidine derivatives; Mechanism of action; Elderly
• ISSN: 0891-9887; 1552-5708
• DOI: 10.1177/089198870001300407

Hyponatremia sometimes occurs in elderly depressed patients treated wtih a serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SRI). The cause of the hyponatremia is not yet understood. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of paroxetine, an SRI, on osmoregulated release of vasopressin (also termed antidiuretic hormone) in elderly depressed patients with normal serum sodium. Four women and one man ages 61 to 74 years with a major depressive disorder were administered a water load after they had been treated with a therapeutic dose of paroxetine for 3 to 11 months. Three healthy elderly subjects not receiving paroxetine served as controls. Both the patients and the control subjects excreted > 90% of the ingested water and lowered urine osmolality to < 100 mosmol/kg. We conclude that long-term treatment with paroxetine alone does not appear to affect the ability to excrete a water load or appropriately dilute the urine during a water load (both indices of vasopressin function) in a small group of elderly patients without other risk factors for the development of hyponatremia. (J Geriatr Psychiatry Neurol 2000; 13:212-216).