The use of bethanechol chloride with tricyclic antidepressants

Abstract

The author describes the use of bethanechol chloride to relieve side effects, including salivary inactivation, constipation, and bladder inhibition, which result from the anticholinergic action of tricyclic antidepressants. He suggests that the use of cholinergic medication during antidepressant therapy may extend the use of the tricyclics to patients who find anticholinergic side effects especially troublesome.