| Drugs | Geriatric dosage (mg per day) | Side effects | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting dosage | Maintenance dosage | Sedation | Agitation | Anticholinergic effects | Orthostatic hypotension | |
| Tricyclic antidepressants | ||||||
| Desipramine (Norpramin) | 25 | 50 to 150 | Low | Low | Low | Low |
| Nortriptyline (Pamelor) | 10 to 25 | 40 to 75 | Moderate | — | Low | Low |
| Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors | ||||||
| Citalopram (Celexa) | 20 | 20 to 40 | Low | Low | — | — |
| Fluvoxamine (Luvox) | 50 | 50 to 200 | Low | Low | — | — |
| Paroxetine (Paxil) | 10 | 20 to 30 | Low | Low | — | — |
| Sertraline (Zoloft) | 25 to 50 | 50 to 150 | Low | Low | — | — |
| Miscellaneous | ||||||
| Bupropion (Wellbutrin) | 100 | 100 to 400 | — | Moderate | — | Low |
| Nefazodone (Serzone) | 100 | 100 to 600 | Moderate | — | Low | Low |
| Trazodone (Desyrel) | 25 to 50 | 50 to 300 | High | — | Low | Moderate |
| Venlafaxine (Effexor) | 75 | 75 to 350 | Low | Low | Low | Low |