Studies on acute toxicity and drug levels of citalopram in the dog.

Electrocardiographic and haemodynamic changes have been studied in conscious dogs after a sublethal oral dose (20 mg . kg-1) of citalopram. Furthermore, the effects of continuous intravenous infusion of citalopram (10 mg . kg-1 per hour) have been studied in conscious and anesthetized dogs. The findings have been related to plasma levels of citalopram. Severe convulsive attacks occurred in conscious dogs after infusion of 21.3 or 26.5 mg . kg-1 and after the oral dose. The convulsions were successfully treated with diazepam. In contrast convulsions were not seen in the anesthetized dogs. They died from respiratory arrest after infusion of 42.2 or 61.3 mg . kg-1. Atrioventricular and intraventricular conduction was unchanged and electrocardiographic changes were negligible. Sinus tachycardia which could be reversed by diazepam and moderate haemodynamic changes were seen. Since no electrocardiographic changes were seen in conscious dogs even during pauses in the convulsive seizure it is concluded that citalopram does not exert cardiotoxic effects in the dog. Good correlation was found between general clinical findings and citalopram levels in plasma. Conscious dogs were exposed to drug levels exceeding those of the average patient by a factor of about 20, while anesthetized dogs had considerable higher concentrations.