Nortriptyline Hcl
Brand names: Nortriptyline Hcl, Pamelor
At a glance
- Medicare prescriptions, 2024
- 803,849
- Medicare drug cost
- $11.8M
- Average cost per prescription
- $14.73
- Clinicians who prescribed it
- 32,710
Where it is prescribed
List the prescribers in any state, county, city or ZIP code →
What it is used for
Pamelor™ (nortriptyline HCl) is indicated for the relief of symptoms of depression. Endogenous depressions are more likely to be alleviated than are other depressive states.
From the FDA-approved prescribing information (label dated December 2024). Full labels on DailyMed (opens in a new tab)
Boxed warning
Suicidality and Antidepressant Drugs Antidepressants increased the risk compared to placebo of suicidal thinking and behavior (suicidality) in children, adolescents, and young adults in short-term studies of major depressive disorder (MDD) and other psychiatric disorders. Anyone considering the use of nortriptyline hydrochloride or any other antidepressant in a child, adolescent, or young adult must balance this risk with the clinical need. Short-term studies did not show an increase in the risk of suicidality with antidepressants compared to placebo in adults beyond age 24; there was a reduction in risk with antidepressants compared to placebo in adults aged 65 and older. Depression and certain other psychiatric disorders are themselves associated with increases in the risk of suicide. Patients of all ages who are started on antidepressant therapy should be monitored appropriately and…
The FDA’s strongest warning on a label. It doesn’t mean the drug is unsafe for most people; talk to your doctor or pharmacist before stopping or changing any medicine.
Who prescribes it
- Family Medicine 21.2%
- Neurology 18.7%
- Internal Medicine 15.8%
- Nurse Practitioners 13.5%
- Physician Assistants 6.5%
- Psychiatry 6.2%
- Pain Medicine 4.5%
- Gastroenterology 3.0%
- Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners 1.9%
- Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (PM&R) 1.3%
- ENT (Otolaryngology) 1.3%
- Rheumatology 0.9%
All prescribers, by place, name or specialty →
Share of Medicare prescriptions written by each specialty. Select one to list its prescribers.
Trend, 2019–2024
Medicare prescriptions fell 3% from 2019 to 2024.
Biggest change by state since 2019
- Utah +23%
- Indiana +19%
- Arkansas +19%
- Kansas +18%
- Montana +13%
- Rhode Island (smallest change) −19%
- California (smallest change) −18%
From CMS’s yearly state and national Part D summaries, which count every prescriber, including those CMS leaves out of its per-clinician data (fewer than 11 prescriptions). That is why these totals are higher than the count at the top of this page. Prescriptions include refills.
What it looks like
Pills from 3 makers on file. The same medicine can look different depending on who made it, so check the imprint (the letters and numbers on the pill) with your pharmacist if a refill looks different.
Direct_rx
| Strength | Looks like | Imprint |
|---|---|---|
| 10 mg | green capsule, 18 mm | TARO NTP10 |
Direct_rx
| Strength | Looks like | Imprint |
|---|---|---|
| 50 mg | white capsule, 19 mm | NORTRIPTYLINE M 50 MG |
Specgx LLC
| Strength | Looks like | Imprint |
|---|---|---|
| 10 mg | white capsule, 16 mm | PAMELOR 10 MG M |
| 25 mg | white capsule, 20 mm | PAMELOR 25 MG M |
| 50 mg | white capsule, 20 mm | PAMELOR 50 MG M |
| 75 mg | orange capsule, 20 mm | PAMELOR 75 MG M |
Source: DailyMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine), from each maker’s FDA drug listing. A few makers are shown, not every one. Never take a pill you can’t identify; ask a pharmacist.
Industry payments about this drug
No industry payments to clinicians named this drug in 2025.
Recalls and shortages
Not on the FDA drug shortage list.
1 recall since 2020
- Jan 2021 · Taro Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc. · Class II
CGMP deviations.
Recalls usually affect specific lots from one maker, not every version of a drug. Class I is the most serious; most drug recalls are Class II. FDA recalls (opens in a new tab)
Sources: CMS Medicare Part D Prescribers by Provider and Drug (2024; prescriptions include refills, and CMS hides counts under 11 per prescriber); U.S. Food and Drug Administration, openFDA (drug labels, NDC directory, enforcement reports, drug shortages); CMS Open Payments 2025; ClinicalTrials.gov. General information only, not medical advice; not yet reviewed by our medical reviewer.