Comparison of the effects of sertraline and L-carnitine on intradialytic hypotension; a double blind clinical trial

Introduction: Although some studies have reported the positive effect of sertraline and L-carnitine on intradialytic hypotension (IDH), a common complication of dialysis, however the results are controversial. Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare the effects of sertraline and L-carnitine on blood pressure in patients with chronic renal failure who were undergoing dialysis. Patients and Methods: This double-blind clinical trial was conducted on 32 hemodialysis patients who suffered from IDH in more than 50% of dialysis sessions. Patients were randomly divided into two groups of sertraline (50 mg daily) and L-carnitine (1000 mg daily), with 16 patients in each group. Duration of treatment was four weeks, then patients were followed up for additional three weeks. The changes in patients’ blood pressure were monitored in each group and the results compared between the two groups.