Escitalopram, marketed under the name of Lexapro, is an oral medication used to treat or prevent the recurrence of depression, treatment of panic disorder, anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder. This active substance acts through the reuptake of serotonin, a neurotransmitter responsible for the feeling of well-being, increasing its activity in the central nervous system.
Lexapro can be purchased in pharmacies, in the form of drops or pills, with prices that can vary between 30 to 150 reais, depending on the form of presentation of the medicine and the number of pills, requiring the presentation of a prescription.
What is it for
Lexapro is indicated for the treatment and prevention of the recurrence of depression, for the treatment of panic disorder, anxiety disorder, social phobia and obsessive compulsive disorder. Find out what obsessive-compulsive disorder is.
How to take
Lexapro should be used orally, once a day, with or without food, and preferably, always at the same time, and the drops should be diluted with water, orange or apple juice, for example.
The dose of Lexapro should be guided by the doctor, according to the disease to be treated and the patient's age.
Possible side effects
Some of the most common side effects that may occur during treatment with escitalopram are nausea, headache, stuffy nose, runny nose, increased or decreased appetite, anxiety, restlessness, abnormal dreams, difficulty sleeping, daytime sleepiness, dizziness, yawning, tremors, feeling of needles in the skin, diarrhea, constipation, vomiting, dry mouth, increased sweating, pain in muscles and joints, sexual disorders, tiredness, fever and weight gain.
Who should not take
Lexapro is contraindicated in children under the age of 18, patients with hypersensitivity to the components of the formula, in patients with cardiac arrhythmia and in patients using monoaminoxidase inhibiting drugs (MAOIs), including selegiline, moclobemide and linezolid or drugs for arrhythmia or that can affect the heart rate.
In case of pregnancy, breastfeeding, epilepsy, kidney or liver problems, diabetes, decreased blood sodium levels, tendency to bleed or bruise, electroconvulsive therapy, coronary heart disease, heart problems, history of infarction, problems dilation of the pupils or irregular heartbeat, the use of Lexapro should only be done under medical prescription.
