Escitalopram

DRUG INFORMATION

  ADULT
    - Indication Recommended Dose MDD in Adolescents ( 2.1 ) Initial: 10 mg once daily
      Recommended: 10 mg once daily Maximum: 20 mg once daily MDD in Adults ( 2.1 )
      Initial: 10 mg once daily Recommended: 10 mg once daily Maximum: 20 mg once daily
      GAD in Adults ( 2.2 ) Initial: 10 mg once daily Recommended: 10 mg once daily • No
      additional benefits seen at 20 mg/day dose ( 2.1 ).
      Source: US FDA label for escitalopram (Escitalopram), section 'dosage and
      administration', retrieved 2026-08-29
    - A flexible-dose trial of escitalopram tablets (10 to 20 mg/day) demonstrated the
      effectiveness of escitalopram oxalate [ see Clinical Studies ( 14.1 ) ].
      Source: US FDA label for escitalopram (Escitalopram), section 'dosage and
      administration', retrieved 2026-08-29
    - If the dose is increased to 20 mg, this should occur after a minimum of three
      weeks.
      Source: US FDA label for escitalopram (Escitalopram), section 'dosage and
      administration', retrieved 2026-08-29

  CHILD
    - Escitalopram tablets should be administered once daily, in the morning or evening,
      with or without food. Escitalopram tablets should generally be administered once
      daily, morning or evening with or without food ( 2.1 , 2.2 ).
      Source: US FDA label for escitalopram (Escitalopram), section 'dosage and
      administration', retrieved 2026-08-29
    - Indication Recommended Dose MDD in Adolescents ( 2.1 ) Initial: 10 mg once daily
      Recommended: 10 mg once daily Maximum: 20 mg once daily MDD in Adults ( 2.1 )
      Initial: 10 mg once daily Recommended: 10 mg once daily Maximum: 20 mg once daily
      GAD in Adults ( 2.2 ) Initial: 10 mg once daily Recommended: 10 mg once daily • No
      additional benefits seen at 20 mg/day dose ( 2.1 ).
      Source: US FDA label for escitalopram (Escitalopram), section 'dosage and
      administration', retrieved 2026-08-29
    - Use caution in patients with severe renal impairment ( 2.3 ). • Discontinuing
      escitalopram tablets: A gradual dose reduction is recommended ( 2.4 ). 2.1 Major
      Depressive Disorder Initial Treatment Adolescents The recommended dose of
      escitalopram tablet is 10 mg once daily.
      Source: US FDA label for escitalopram (Escitalopram), section 'dosage and
      administration', retrieved 2026-08-29

  RENAL IMPAIRMENT
    - Indication Recommended Dose MDD in Adolescents ( 2.1 ) Initial: 10 mg once daily
      Recommended: 10 mg once daily Maximum: 20 mg once daily MDD in Adults ( 2.1 )
      Initial: 10 mg once daily Recommended: 10 mg once daily Maximum: 20 mg once daily
      GAD in Adults ( 2.2 ) Initial: 10 mg once daily Recommended: 10 mg once daily • No
      additional benefits seen at 20 mg/day dose ( 2.1 ).
      Source: US FDA label for escitalopram (Escitalopram), section 'dosage and
      administration', retrieved 2026-08-29
    - Use caution in patients with severe renal impairment ( 2.3 ). • Discontinuing
      escitalopram tablets: A gradual dose reduction is recommended ( 2.4 ). 2.1 Major
      Depressive Disorder Initial Treatment Adolescents The recommended dose of
      escitalopram tablet is 10 mg once daily.
      Source: US FDA label for escitalopram (Escitalopram), section 'dosage and
      administration', retrieved 2026-08-29
    - No dosage adjustment is necessary for patients with mild or moderate renal
      impairment.
      Source: US FDA label for escitalopram (Escitalopram), section 'dosage and
      administration', retrieved 2026-08-29

  HEPATIC IMPAIRMENT
    - Indication Recommended Dose MDD in Adolescents ( 2.1 ) Initial: 10 mg once daily
      Recommended: 10 mg once daily Maximum: 20 mg once daily MDD in Adults ( 2.1 )
      Initial: 10 mg once daily Recommended: 10 mg once daily Maximum: 20 mg once daily
      GAD in Adults ( 2.2 ) Initial: 10 mg once daily Recommended: 10 mg once daily • No
      additional benefits seen at 20 mg/day dose ( 2.1 ).
      Source: US FDA label for escitalopram (Escitalopram), section 'dosage and
      administration', retrieved 2026-08-29
    - The physician who elects to use escitalopram tablets for extended periods should
      periodically re-evaluate the long-term usefulness of the drug for the individual
      patient. 2.3 Special Populations 10 mg/day is the recommended dose for most
      elderly patients and patients with hepatic impairment.
      Source: US FDA label for escitalopram (Escitalopram), section 'dosage and
      administration', retrieved 2026-08-29
    - In subjects with hepatic impairment, clearance of racemic citalopram was decreased
      and plasma concentrations were increased.
      Source: US FDA label for escitalopram (Escitalopram), section 'warnings and
      cautions', retrieved 2026-08-29

  PREGNANCY
    - In a rat embryo/fetal development study, oral administration of escitalopram (56,
      112, or 150 mg/kg/day) to pregnant animals during the period of organogenesis
      resulted in decreased fetal body weight and associated delays in ossification at
      the two higher doses (approximately ≥ 56 times the maximum recommended human dose
      [MRHD] of 20 mg/day on a body surface area [mg/m 2 ] basis).
      Source: US FDA label for escitalopram (Escitalopram), section 'pregnancy',
      retrieved 2026-08-29
    - Maternal toxicity (clinical signs and decreased body weight gain and food
      consumption), mild at 56 mg/kg/day, was present at all dose levels.
      Source: US FDA label for escitalopram (Escitalopram), section 'pregnancy',
      retrieved 2026-08-29
    - The developmental no-effect dose of 56 mg/kg/day is approximately 28 times the
      MRHD on a mg/m 2 basis.
      Source: US FDA label for escitalopram (Escitalopram), section 'pregnancy',
      retrieved 2026-08-29

  BREASTFEEDING
    - Escitalopram is excreted in human breast milk.
      Source: US FDA label for escitalopram (Escitalopram), section 'nursing mothers',
      retrieved 2026-08-29
    - Limited data from women taking 10 to 20 mg escitalopram showed that exclusively
      breast-fed infants receive approximately 3.9% of the maternal weight-adjusted dose
      of escitalopram and 1.7% of the maternal weight-adjusted dose of
      desmethylcitalopram.
      Source: US FDA label for escitalopram (Escitalopram), section 'nursing mothers',
      retrieved 2026-08-29
    - There were two reports of infants experiencing excessive somnolence, decreased
      feeding, and weight loss in association with breastfeeding from a racemic
      citalopram-treated mother; in one case, the infant was reported to recover
      completely upon discontinuation of racemic citalopram by its mother and, in the
      second case, no follow-up information was available.
      Source: US FDA label for escitalopram (Escitalopram), section 'nursing mothers',
      retrieved 2026-08-29