Amitriptyline dosage depends on four factors: diagnosis, patient age, concurrent medical conditions, and possible drug interactions. Doctors must take all four factors into account when determining the appropriate dose of amitriptyline for a particular patient. Amitriptyline dosage varies widely from patient to patient, and a mistake in dosing can cause adverse reactions. A thorough medical history, detailing diagnosed illnesses, additional symptoms, and current medications, is critical to assisting a doctor in determining the best amitriptyline dosage.
Although amitriptyline is typically prescribed for depression, this is not its only use. Pain, migraine prevention, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and urinary incontinence, or the loss of bladder control, are other illnesses that can be treated with amitriptyline. Each disease is different, so each requires the prescription of a different dosage to ensure that patients experience symptom improvement. If a patient is given a dosage that is capable of treating pain but needs a dosage appropriate for treating depression, the medication will not work as intended.
The second factor is a patient’s age. Amitriptyline can be used to treat pediatric patients, adults and geriatric patients. In pediatric patients, age is considered in distinct stages because a five-year-old would not require the same dosing as a 12-year-old. An adult patient might not experience the full benefit of treatment if he or she were prescribed a pediatric or geriatric dose. If a pediatric patient is given an adult dose, he or she might suffer an overdose.
Whether or not a patient is being treated for other illness can be another critical factor in determining amitriptyline dosage. Some illnesses make it difficult for patients to tolerate specific drugs. For instance, a patient who suffers from an condition that causes his or her appetite to be suppressed should not take a drug that has the possible side effect of nausea, or a patient who has liver or kidney problems should be steered away from drugs that take a heavy toll on those organs. When issues like these arise, physicians may be able to find alternative medications that will work without causing patients harm.
A key factor that goes hand in hand with patients' medical conditions when calculating amitriptyline dosage is whether they are currently taking any medications. These can include prescription drugs, over the counter medications, vitamins, or herbal remedies. Some medications have the effect of counteracting others; in other cases, a drug may have heighten another drug's impact. Some can even cause harm to the body because of the chemical properties of two or more drugs mixing, so it's important to be open with doctors medications when giving a medical history.