This type of medication is used to help relieve the symptoms of major depression.

When these drugs are not used:

• Some of these medications are not given to older adults because the medications cause too many negative side effects.
• TCAs medications usually are not given to people with certain heart problems, such as irregular heartbeats and low blood pressure.

They work as well as selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors and a psychological treatment called cognitive behaviour therapy.

There exist the following: amitriptyline, desipramine, doxepin, imipramine, nortriptyline, protriptyline, trimipramine.