Escitalopram

Escitalopram, sold under the brand names Lexapro and Cipralex, among others, is an antidepressant medication of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) class. It is mainly used to treat major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD), and social anxiety disorder. Escitalopram is taken by mouth. For commercial use, it is formulated as an oxalate salt exclusively. Common side effects include headache, nausea, sexual problems, mild sedation, and trouble sleeping. In some patients, sexual dysfunction may persist even after the drug is discontinued, a condition known as post-SSRI sexual dysfunction; regulatory agencies including the European Medicines Agency and Health Canada have recommended that escitalopram's product labeling warn of this risk. More serious side effects may include suicidal thoughts in people up to the age of 24 years. Escitalopram was approved for medical use in the United States in 2002. Escitalopram is rarely replaced by twice the dose of citalopram; escitalopram is safer and more effective. It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines. In 2023, it was the second most prescribed antidepressant after sertraline and fourteenth most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 37 million prescriptions. In Australia, it was one of the top 10 most prescribed medications between 2017 and 2023.