Doxepin Hcl

FDA Drug Information • Also known as: Doxepin Hcl

Brand Names: Doxepin Hcl
Route: ORAL
Dosage Form: CAPSULE
Product Type: HUMAN PRESCRIPTION DRUG

Description

Doxepin hydrochloride is one of a class of psychotherapeutic agents known as dibenzoxepin tricyclic compounds. The molecular formula of the compound is C19H21NO ∙ HCl having a molecular weight of 315.84. It is a white crystalline powder freely soluble in water, in ethanol (96%), and methylene chloride. It may be represented by the following structural formula: [Chemical Structure] Chemically, doxepin hydrochloride is a dibenzoxepin derivative and is the first of a family of tricyclic psychotherapeutic agents. Specifically, it is an isomeric mixture of 1-Propanamine, 3-dibenz[b,e] oxepin-11 (6H)ylidene-N,N-dimethyl-hydrochloride. Each 10 mg, 25 mg, 50 mg, 75 mg and 100 mg doxepin capsule for oral administration contains doxepin hydrochloride, USP equivalent to 10 mg, 25 mg, 50 mg, 75 mg and 100 mg of doxepin, respectively and the following inactive ingredients: colloidal silicon dioxide, magnesium stearate, microcrystalline cellulose, pregelatinized starch and sodium lauryl sulfate. The empty gelatin capsule shells contain gelatin, sodium lauryl sulfate and titanium dioxide. In addition, the 10 mg empty gelatin capsule shells contain iron oxide red and iron oxide yellow, the 25 mg and 50 mg empty gelatin capsule shells contain D&C Yellow 10 and FD&C Yellow 6, and the 75 mg and 100 mg empty gelatin capsule shells contain D&C Yellow 10 and FD&C Blue 1. The imprinting ink may contain ferrosoferric oxide, potassium hydroxide, propylene glycol and shellac glaze.

What Is Doxepin Hcl Used For?

Doxepin Hydrochloride Capsules, USP are recommended for the treatment of: Psychoneurotic patients with depression and/or anxiety. Depression and/or anxiety associated with alcoholism (not to be taken concomitantly with alcohol). Depression and/or anxiety associated with organic disease (the possibility of drug interaction should be considered if the patient is receiving other drugs concomitantly). Psychotic depressive disorders with associated anxiety including involutional depression and manic-depressive disorders. The target symptoms of psychoneurosis that respond particularly well to doxepin hydrochloride capsules include anxiety, tension, depression, somatic symptoms and concerns, sleep disturbances, guilt, lack of energy, fear, apprehension and worry. Clinical experience has shown that doxepin hydrochloride capsules are safe and well tolerated even in the elderly patient. Owing to lack of clinical experience in the pediatric population, doxepin hydrochloride capsules are not recommended for use in children under 12 years of age.

Dosage and Administration

For most patients with illness of mild to moderate severity, a starting daily dose of 75 mg is recommended. Dosage may subsequently be increased or decreased at appropriate intervals and according to individual response. The usual optimum dose range is 75 mg/day to 150 mg/day. In more severely ill patients higher doses may be required with subsequent gradual increase to 300 mg/day if necessary. Additional therapeutic effect is rarely to be obtained by exceeding a dose of 300 mg/day. In patients with very mild symptomatology or emotional symptoms accompanying organic disease, lower doses may suffice. Some of these patients have been controlled on doses as low as 25 to 50 mg/day. The total daily dosage of doxepin (as the hydrochloride) may be given on a divided or once a day dosage schedule. If the once a day schedule is employed, the maximum recommended dose is 150 mg/day. This dose may be given at bedtime. The 150 mg capsule strength is intended for maintenance therapy only and is not recommended for initiation of treatment. Antianxiety effect is apparent before the antidepressant effect. Optimal antidepressant effect may not be evident for 2 to 3 weeks.

Side Effects (Adverse Reactions)

NOTE: Some of the adverse reactions noted below have not been specifically reported with doxepin use. However, due to the close pharmacological similarities among the tricyclics, the reactions should be considered when prescribing doxepin. Anticholinergic Effects Dry mouth, blurred vision, constipation and urinary retention have been reported. If they do not subside with continued therapy or become severe, it may be necessary to reduce the dosage. Central Nervous System Effects Drowsiness is the most commonly noticed side effect. This tends to disappear as therapy is continued. Other infrequently reported CNS side effects are confusion, disorientation, hallucinations, numbness, paresthesias, ataxia, extrapyramidal symptoms, seizures, tardive dyskinesia and tremor. Cardiovascular Cardiovascular effects including hypotension, hypertension and tachycardia have been reported occasionally. Allergic Skin rash, edema, photosensitization and pruritus have occasionally occurred. Hematologic Eosinophilia has been reported in a few patients. There have been occasional reports of bone marrow depression manifesting as agranulocytosis, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia and purpura. Gastrointestinal Nausea, vomiting, indigestion, taste disturbances, diarrhea, anorexia and aphthous stomatitis have been reported. (See ANTICHOLINERGIC EFFECTS.) Endocrine Raised or lowered libido, testicular swelling, gynecomastia in males, enlargement of breasts and galactorrhea in the female, raising or lowering of blood sugar levels and syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion have been reported with tricyclic administration. Other Dizziness, tinnitus, weight gain, sweating, chills, fatigue, weakness, flushing, jaundice, alopecia, headache, exacerbation of asthma, angle closure glaucoma, mydriasis and hyperpyrexia (in association with chlorpromazine) have been occasionally observed as adverse effects. Withdrawal Symptoms The possibility of development of withdrawal symptoms upon abrupt cessation of treatment after prolonged doxepin administration should be borne in mind. These are not indicative of addiction and gradual withdrawal of medication should not cause these symptoms.

Warnings and Precautions

Clinical Worsening and Suicide Risk Patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), both adult and pediatric, may experience worsening of their depression and/or the emergence of suicidal ideation and behavior (suicidality) or unusual changes in behavior, whether or not they are taking antidepressant medications, and this risk may persist until significant remission occurs. Suicide is a known risk of depression and certain other psychiatric disorders, and these disorders themselves are the strongest predictors of suicide. There has been a long-standing concern, however, that antidepressants may have a role in inducing worsening of depression and the emergence of suicidality in certain patients during the early phases of treatment. Pooled analyses of short-term placebo-controlled trials of antidepressant drugs (SSRIs and others) showed that these drugs increase the risk of suicidal thinking and behavior (suicidality) in children, adolescents, and young adults (ages 18 to 24) with major depressive disorder (MDD) and other psychiatric disorders. Short-term studies did not show an increase in the risk of suicidality with antidepressants compared to placebo in adults beyond age 24; there was a reduction with antidepressants compared to placebo in adults aged 65 and older. The pooled analyses of placebo-controlled trials in children and adolescents with MDD, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), or other psychiatric disorders included a total of 24 short-term trials of nine antidepressant drugs in over 4,400 patients. The pooled analyses of placebo-controlled trials in adults with MDD or other psychiatric disorders included a total of 295 short-term trials (median duration of 2 months) of 11 antidepressant drugs in over 77,000 patients. There was considerable variation in risk of suicidality among drugs, but a tendency toward an increase in the younger patients for almost all drugs studied. There were differences in absolute risk of suicidality across the different indications, with the highest incidence in MDD. The risk differences (drug vs. placebo), however, were relatively stable within age strata and across indications. These risk differences (drug-placebo difference in the number of cases of suicidality per 1,000 patients treated) are provided in Table 1. Table 1 Age Range Drug-Placebo Difference in Number of Cases of Suicidality Per 1,000 Patients Treated Increases Compared to Placebo < 18 14 additional cases 18 to 24 5 additional cases Decreases Compared to Placebo 25 to 64 1 fewer case ≥ 65 6 fewer cases No suicides occurred in any of the pediatric trials. There were suicides in the adult trials, but the number was not sufficient to reach any conclusion about drug effect on suicide. It is unknown whether the suicidality risk extends to longer-term use, i.e., beyond several months. However, there is substantial evidence from placebo-controlled maintenance trials in adults with depression that the use of antidepressants can delay the recurrence...

Contraindications

Doxepin hydrochloride capsules are contraindicated in individuals who have shown hypersensitivity to the drug. Possibility of cross sensitivity with other dibenzoxepines should be kept in mind. Doxepin hydrochloride capsules are contraindicated in patients with glaucoma or a tendency to urinary retention. These disorders should be ruled out, particularly in older patients.

Overdosage

Deaths may occur from overdosage with this class of drugs. Multiple drug ingestion (including alcohol) is common in deliberate tricyclic antidepressant overdose. As the management is complex and changing, it is recommended that the physician contact a poison control center for current information on treatment. Signs and symptoms of toxicity develop rapidly after tricyclic antidepressant overdose; therefore, hospital monitoring is required as soon as possible. Manifestations Critical manifestations of overdose include: cardiac dysrhythmias, severe hypotension, convulsions and CNS depression, including coma. Changes in the electrocardiogram, particularly in QRS axis or width, are clinically significant indicators of tricyclic antidepressant toxicity. Other signs of overdose may include: confusion, disturbed concentration, transient visual hallucinations, dilated pupils, agitation, hyperactive reflexes, stupor, drowsiness, muscle rigidity, vomiting, hypothermia, hyperpyrexia, or any of the symptoms listed under ADVERSE REACTIONS. Deaths have been reported involving overdoses of doxepin. General Recommendations General Obtain an ECG and immediately initiate cardiac monitoring. Protect the patient's airway, establish an intravenous line and initiate gastric decontamination. A minimum of 6 hours of observation with cardiac monitoring and observation for signs of CNS or respiratory depression, hypotension, cardiac dysrhythmias and/or conduction blocks, and seizures is strongly advised. If signs of toxicity occur at any time during this period, extended monitoring is recommended. There are case reports of patients succumbing to fatal dysrhythmias late after overdose; these patients had clinical evidence of significant poisoning prior to death and most received inadequate gastrointestinal decontamination. Monitoring of plasma drug levels should not guide management of the patient. Gastrointestinal Decontamination All patients suspected of tricyclic antidepressant overdose...

How Supplied

Doxepin Hydrochloride Capsules, USP are available containing doxepin hydrochloride, USP equivalent to 10 mg, 25 mg, 50 mg, 75 mg or 100 mg of doxepin. The 10 mg capsule is a hard-shell, gelatin capsule with a brown opaque cap, axially printed with TARO over D10 in black ink on both the cap and the body. They are available as follows: NDC 51672-4217-1 bottles of 100 capsules The 25 mg capsule is a hard-shell, gelatin capsule with a yellow opaque cap and white opaque body, axially printed with TARO over D25 in black ink on both the cap and the body. They are available as follows: NDC 51672-4218-1 bottles of 100 capsules The 50 mg capsule is a hard-shell, gelatin capsule with a yellow opaque cap and yellow opaque body, axially printed with TARO over D50 in black ink on both the cap and the body. They are available as follows: NDC 51672-4219-1 bottles of 100 capsules The 75 mg capsule is a hard-shell, gelatin capsule with a green opaque cap and green opaque body, axially printed with TARO over D75 in black ink on both the cap and the body. They are available as follows: NDC 51672-4220-1 bottles of 100 capsules The 100 mg capsule is a hard-shell, gelatin capsule with a green opaque cap and white opaque body, axially printed with TARO over D100 in black ink on both the cap and the body. They are available as follows: NDC 51672-4221-1 bottles of 100 capsules Store at 20° to 25°C (68° to 77°F) [see USP Controlled Room Temperature]. Protect from light. Dispense in a tight, light-resistant container as defined in the USP using a child-resistant closure.

About This Information

This drug information is sourced from FDA-approved labeling via the openFDA database. It is intended for educational and reference purposes only. This is not medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before making decisions about medication. Drug information may be updated by the FDA; check with your pharmacist for the most current information.

What are side effects?

Side effects are unwanted reactions that can occur when taking a medication. They range from mild (headache, nausea) to severe (allergic reactions, organ damage). Not everyone experiences side effects, and severity varies. Report any concerning side effects to your doctor.

What are drug interactions?

Drug interactions occur when a medication is affected by another drug, food, or supplement. Interactions can make medications less effective or cause dangerous side effects. Always tell your doctor about all medications and supplements you take.