Intravenous chlorimipramine therapy in obsessive-compulsive disorder.

A brief summary of the etiological factors and pharmacological approaches to therapy of obsessive-compulsive disorder is given. Evidence for the serotonergic hypothesis is reviewed. Three case reports of patients with severe OCD who had not responded to traditional chemotherapeutic approaches and electroconvulsive therapy are presented. All three responded to a series of 14 intravenous chlorimipramine infusions with a maximum dose of 350 mgms per infusion. The technique of infusion therapy and possible mechanisms of action are discussed. It is concluded that OCD is no longer accepted as a rare disorder and that effective treatment exists. For patients who do not respond to oral chlorimipramine, the treatment of choice, intravenous chlorimipramine is suggested as a viable alternative.