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Brand name: Escitalopram (AN) TM
Active ingredients: escitalopram
What it is used for
Treatment of major depression.
How to take it
You should seek medical advice in relation to medicines and use only as directed by a healthcare professional.
- The way to take this medicine: Oral
- Store below 25 degrees Celsius
- Store in a Dry Place
- Shelf lifetime is 48 Months.
Always read the label. If symptoms persist see your healthcare professional.
Visual appearance
White to off-white oval biconvex film-coated tablets with break-line on one side and plain on the other side, having approximate dimensions, length about 8.0mm and width about 5.5mm
Images are the copyright of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia
Do I need a prescription?
This medicine is available from a pharmacist and requires a prescription. It is
Is this medicine subsidised?
This medicine was verified as being available on the PBS (Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme) on November 1, 2018. To learn more about this subsidy, visit the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) website.
Pregnant or planning a pregnancy?
For the active ingredient escitalopram
You should seek advice from your doctor or pharmacist about taking this medicine. They can help you balance the risks and the benefits of this medicine during pregnancy.
Reporting side effects
You can help ensure medicines are safe by reporting the side effects you experience.
You can report side effects to your doctor, or directly at www.tga.gov.au/reporting-problems
Need more information?
These trusted information partners have more on this topic.
Top results
Escitalopram AN Tablets - myDr.com.au
Escitalopram AN Tablets - Consumer Medicines Information leaflets of prescription and over-the-counter medicines
Read more on myDr – Consumer Medicine Information website
Escitalopram Generichealth Tablets - myDr.com.au
Escitalopram Generichealth Tablets - Consumer Medicines Information leaflets of prescription and over-the-counter medicines
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Pharmacor Escitalopram Tablets - myDr.com.au
Pharmacor Escitalopram Tablets - Consumer Medicines Information leaflets of prescription and over-the-counter medicines
Read more on myDr – Consumer Medicine Information website
Chemmart Escitalopram Tablets - myDr.com.au
Chemmart Escitalopram Tablets - Consumer Medicines Information leaflets of prescription and over-the-counter medicines
Read more on myDr – Consumer Medicine Information website
APO-Escitalopram Tablets - myDr.com.au
APO-Escitalopram Tablets - Consumer Medicines Information leaflets of prescription and over-the-counter medicines
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Blooms the Chemist Escitalopram Tablets - myDr.com.au
Blooms the Chemist Escitalopram Tablets - Consumer Medicines Information leaflets of prescription and over-the-counter medicines
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Terry White Chemists Escitalopram Tablets - myDr.com.au
Terry White Chemists Escitalopram Tablets - Consumer Medicines Information leaflets of prescription and over-the-counter medicines
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Lexam Tablets - myDr.com.au
Lexam Tablets - Consumer Medicines Information leaflets of prescription and over-the-counter medicines
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Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) for depression - myDr.com.au
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs): find out how these antidepressants work and about side effects and interactions with other medicines.
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At menopause, changes in hormone levels can cause symptoms for many women for example, hot flushes, mood and sleep changes. If your symptoms are bothering you, your doctor can help you to understand your symptoms and your treatment options.
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Top results
Escitalopram versus other antidepressive agents for depression | Cochrane
Read more on Cochrane (Australasian Centre) website
Escitalopram versus other antidepressive agents for depression | Cochrane
Read more on Cochrane (Australasian Centre) website
Duloxetine versus other antidepressive agents for depression | Cochrane
Although pharmacological and psychological interventions are both effective for major depression, antidepressant drugs remain the mainstay of treatment in moderate to severe major depression. During the last 20 years, newer compounds (such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and dual action agents such as serotonin noradrenalin reuptake inhibitors) have progressively become the most commonly prescribed antidepressants. Duloxetine hydrochloride, one of the most recent antidepressants introduced in the market, is a selective serotonin noradrenergic reuptake inhibitor for oral administration. In the present review we assessed the evidence for the efficacy, acceptability and tolerability of duloxetine in comparison with all other antidepressants in the acute-phase treatment of major depression. Sixteen randomised controlled trials (5735 participants) were included. Duloxetine was not more effective than some other new antidepressant agents in the acute-phase treatment of major depression, and it was less well tolerated than escitalopram and venlafaxine as more patients allocated to duloxetine withdrew treatment before study end. However, due to the limited number of studies per comparison these results should be interpreted with caution.
Read more on Cochrane (Australasian Centre) website
Citalopram versus other antidepressants for depression | Cochrane
Major depression is a severe mental illness characterised by a persistent and unreactive low mood and loss of all interest and pleasure, usually accompanied by a range of symptoms including appetite change, sleep disturbance, fatigue, loss of energy, poor concentration, psychomotor symptoms, inappropriate guilt and morbid thoughts of death. Antidepressant drugs remain the mainstay of treatment in moderate-to-severe major depression. During the last 20 years, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) have progressively become the most commonly prescribed antidepressants. Citalopram, one of the first SSRIs introduced in the market, is the racemic mixture of S- and R-enantiomer. In the present review we assessed the evidence for the efficacy, acceptability and tolerability of citalopram in comparison with all other antidepressants in the acute-phase treatment of major depression. Thirty-seven randomised controlled trials (more than 6000 participants) were included in the present review. In terms of efficacy, citalopram was more efficacious than other reference compounds like paroxetine or reboxetine, but worse than escitalopram. In terms of side effects, citalopram was more acceptable than older antidepressants, like tricyclics. Based on these findings, we conclude that clinicians should focus on practical or clinically relevant considerations including differences in efficacy and side-effect profiles.
Read more on Cochrane (Australasian Centre) website
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors for treating people with autism spectrum disorders | Cochrane
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are characterised by problems with social interaction and communication, as well as repetitive behaviours and limited activities and interests. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are a class of antidepressants that are sometimes given to reduce anxiety or obsessive-compulsive behaviours. We found nine trials, involving 320 people, which evaluated four SSRIs: fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, fenfluramine and citalopram. Five studies included only children and four studies included only adults. One trial enrolled 149 children, but the other trials were much smaller. We found no trials that evaluated sertraline, paroxetine or escitalopram. There is no evidence to support the use of SSRIs to treat autism in children. There is limited evidence, which is not yet sufficiently robust, to suggest effectiveness of SSRIs in adults with autism. Treatment with an SSRI may cause side effects. Decisions about the use of SSRIs for established clinical indications that may co-occur with autism, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder and depression in adults or children, and anxiety in adults, should be made on a case-by-case basis.
Read more on Cochrane (Australasian Centre) website
Medications to prevent post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): a review of the evidence | Cochrane
PTSD is a condition experienced by some people after traumatic experiences such as warfare or domestic violence.People with PTSD experience symptoms of intense fear, helplessness and horror.Research suggests that changes in stress hormones in the brain may contribute to PTSD.Giving people medications which work in the brain soon after traumatic events may be able to prevent PTSD from developing.
Read more on Cochrane (Australasian Centre) website
Second-generation antidepressants for winter depression | Cochrane
Seasonal affective disorder (winter depression) is a type of depression that recurs in the autumn and lasts until the spring. It is similar to regular depression except sufferers are usually very tired and have an increase in their appetite. It is more common in countries with few daylight hours in winter. One of the mainstays of treatment for all depression, including winter depression, are second-generation antidepressants (SGAs) such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), and serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). It is not clear how well these drugs work for winter depression and how they compare to each other or to other types of therapy such as light therapy.
Read more on Cochrane (Australasian Centre) website
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Managing obsessive compulsive disorder | Issue 4 | Volume 38 | Australian Prescriber
Unlike obsessive compulsive personality traits or occasional repetitive habits, obsessive compulsive disorder can be highly distressing and associated with...
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Switching and stopping antidepressants | Issue 3 | Volume 39 | Australian Prescriber
Switching people from one antidepressant to another is commonly needed but can cause drug withdrawal symptoms, drug interactions and relapse in depression....
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