Clomipramine Hyponatraemia: case report

A 64-year-old woman who had been treated for 19 years for anxiety and depression with benzodiazepines, tricyclic agents and other psychotropic drugs, was prescribed clomipramine 25mg tid . Hyponatraemia was detected 2 days later. The patient was withdrawn from clomipramine therapy 5 days after commencement but sodium levels were little changed in the following 2 days. It was then discovered that clomipramine therapy had been reinst ituted and the treatment was once again withdrawn . Serum electrolyte levels measured a week later were normal.

'The fact that a patient has not previously suffered electrolyte imbalance whilst on tricyclic therapy is no indication that this situation will appertain if the drug regime is altered_'

Pledger DR , Mathew H. Hyponatraemla and clomipramine t herapy. British Journal of

Psychiatry 154 ' 263·264, Feb 1989 ""