Eslo Dosage/Direction for Use

Safety of daily doses above 20 mg has not been demonstrated.
Escitalopram is administered as a single daily dose and may be taken with or without food.
Major depressive episodes: Usual dosage is 10 mg once daily. Depending on individual patient response, the dose may be increased to a maximum of 20 mg daily.
Usually 2-4 weeks are necessary to obtain antidepressant response. After the symptoms resolve, treatment for at least 6 months is required for consolidation of the response.
Panic disorder with or without agoraphobia: An initial dose of 5 mg is recommended for the first week before increasing the dose to 10mg daily. The dose may be further increased, up to a maximum of 20mg daily, dependent on individual patient's response.
Maximum effectiveness is reached after about 3 months. The treatment lasts several months.
Social Anxiety Disorder: Usual dosage is 10 mg once daily. Depending on individual patients' response, the dose may be increased to a maximum of 20 mg daily.
Usually 2-4 weeks are necessary to obtain symptom relief. Treatment for 3 months is recommended to consolidate response. Long-term treatment of responders for 6 month has been shown to prevent relapse and can be considered on an individual basis, treatment benefits should be re-evaluated at regular intervals.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD): Usual dosage 10 mg once daily. Depending on individual patient's response, the dose may be increased to 20 mg daily.
As OCD is a chronic disease, patients should be treated for a sufficient period to ensure that they are symptom free. This period may be several months or even longer.
Elderly patient (>65years of age): Initial treatment with half the usually recommended dose and a lower maximum dose should be considered.
Children and Adolescents (<18 years): Escitalopram should not be used in the treatment of children and adolescents under the age of 18 years.
Reduced Renal Function: Dosage adjustment is not necessary in patients with mild or moderate renal impairment. Caution is advised in patients with severely reduced renal function (CLCR less than 30 ml/min).
Reduced Hepatic Function: An initial dose of 5 mg daily for the first two weeks of treatment is recommended. Depending on individual patient response, the dose may be increased to 10 mg daily.
Poor Metabolisers of CYP2C19: For patients who are known to be poor metabolisers with respect to CYP2C19, an initial dose of 5 mg daily during the first two weeks of treatment is recommended. Depending on individual patient response, the dose may be increased to 10mg daily.
Discontinuation symptoms: When stopping treatment with Escitalopram the dose should be gradually reduced over a period of at least one to two weeks in order to avoid possible discontinuation symptoms.
Mode of Administration: Oral.