Resumo

CHIOCA, Lea Rosa; SEGURA, Renata Chinasso Fernandez; ANDREATINI, Roberto  e  LOSSO, Estela Maris. Antidepressants and local anesthetics: drug interactions of interest to dentistry. RSBO (Online) [online]. 2010, vol.7, n.4, pp. 466-473. ISSN 1984-5685.

INTRODUCTION: Since there is a vast variety of pharmacological treatments for mental conditions, it has been increasingly more common that patients seeking dentistry treatment are continually using psychoactive drugs as antidepressants. The number of people taking antidepressants is increasing; consequently, dentists should update their knowledge on the interaction between this drug class and those used in dental daily practice, such as local anesthetics and vasoconstrictors. OBJECTIVE: To conduct a literature review on this subject. LITERATURE REVIEW AND CONCLUSION: Literature data suggest that sympathomimetic vasoconstrictors (epinephrine, norepinephrine, and phenylephrine) associated with local anesthetics may potentiate the side effects of antidepressants, particularly tricyclics and MAO inhibitors, on the cardiovascular system. There are few clinical trials and preclinical studies on this subject, and most of them were carried out between the 60s and 80s. Current studies are needed, since many new antidepressant drugs with different mechanisms of action are currently marketed and being used.

Palavras-chave : vasoconstrictors; local anesthetic; antidepressant.