JUNGHEON Escitalopram Tablet 20mg (Escitalopram Oxalate)

Adult administration

Safety has not been established for doses exceeding 20mg per day. This drug is administered once daily in the morning or evening, without regard to meals. 1) Adults (1) Major depressive disorder: The usual dose is 10mg once daily. Depending on the patient's response, the dose may be increased to a maximum of 20mg per day. If the dose of this drug is to be increased to 20mg, it should be increased at intervals of at least 1 week. In general, 2-4 weeks are required for antidepressant effects to occur. Even after symptoms have resolved, drug treatment for at least 6 months is required to ensure a therapeutic effect. (2) Panic disorder with or without agoraphobia: It is recommended to administer 5mg per day for 1 week as the initial dose, then increase to 10mg per day. Depending on the patient's response, the dose may be increased to a maximum of 20mg per day. The maximum effect appears after approximately 3 months. The safety and efficacy of long-term administration of this drug for more than 10 weeks in the treatment of panic disorder have not been systematically studied. The physician should periodically reevaluate each patient to determine the need for continued treatment. (3) Social anxiety disorder: The usual dose is 10mg once daily. In general, 2-4 weeks are required for symptoms to improve. Thereafter, depending on the patient's response, the dose may be reduced to 5mg per day or increased to a maximum of 20mg per day. Social anxiety disorder is a condition with a chronic course, and continued treatment for 12 weeks is recommended to ensure a therapeutic effect. Long-term treatment in responding patients has been studied for 6 months; the need for such treatment should be considered on an individual patient basis to prevent relapse. The usefulness of long-term treatment should be reevaluated periodically. Social anxiety disorder is a well-defined diagnostic term for a specific disorder and should not be confused with excessive shyness. Drug treatment should be given only when social anxiety disorder significantly interferes with occupational and social activities. Drug treatment has not been compared with cognitive behavioral therapy. Drug treatment is one part of an overall treatment strategy. (4) Generalized anxiety disorder: The initial dose is 10mg once daily. Depending on the patient's response, the dose may be increased to a maximum of 20mg per day after at least 1 week of treatment. A long-term administration study was conducted in patients who responded to 12 weeks of open-label treatment, with 20mg per day administered for at least 6 months. The physician should periodically reevaluate the usefulness of long-term treatment with this drug for each patient. (5) Obsessive-compulsive disorder: The usual dose is 10mg once daily. Depending on the patient's response, the dose may be increased to a maximum of 20mg per day. A long-term administration study was conducted in patients who responded to 16 weeks of open-label treatment, with 10mg or 20mg per day administered for at least 24 weeks. Obsessive-compulsive disorder is a chronic condition, and treatment should be continued for a sufficient period to ensure symptom resolution. If this drug is administered long term, its usefulness and dose should be reevaluated periodically for each patient. 2) Patients with renal impairment No dose adjustment is necessary in patients with mild or moderate renal impairment. Caution is required in patients with severe renal impairment (CLCR < 30㎖/min). 3) Patients with hepatic impairment It is recommended to administer 5mg per day as the initial dose for the first 2 weeks. Depending on the patient's response, the dose may be increased to 10mg per day. 4) Discontinuation When discontinuing this drug, the dose should be gradually reduced over at least 1-2 weeks to avoid the possibility of withdrawal symptoms. 5) Switching from MAO inhibitors for the treatment of psychiatric disorders When discontinuing an MAO inhibitor used to treat psychiatric disorders and starting treatment with this drug, an interval of at least 14 days should be allowed. Conversely, when starting an MAO inhibitor to treat psychiatric disorders, at least 14 days must have elapsed after discontinuation of this drug. 6) Other MAO inhibitors, such as linezolid or methylene blue Patients receiving linezolid or intravenous methylene blue should not start treatment with this drug because of the increased risk of serotonin syndrome. For patients who require more urgent treatment of a psychiatric condition, including hospitalization, other interventions should be considered. It may be necessary to urgently administer linezolid or intravenous methylene blue to patients already receiving this drug. If no alternative to linezolid or intravenous methylene blue is available, and the benefits of treatment with linezolid or intravenous methylene blue are judged to outweigh the risk of serotonin syndrome in a particular patient, this drug may be discontinued immediately and linezolid or intravenous methylene blue administered. Patients should be monitored for symptoms of serotonin syndrome for 2 weeks after administration of linezolid or intravenous methylene blue, or until 24 hours after the last dose, whichever occurs first. Treatment with this drug may be restarted 24 hours after the last dose of linezolid or intravenous methylene blue. The risk associated with administration of methylene blue by non-intravenous routes (oral tablets or local injection), or with intravenous administration of this drug at doses of 1mg/kg or less, is unclear. Nevertheless, clinicians should be aware of the possibility of emergency symptoms of serotonin syndrome with these uses.

This medication is an antidepressant used for the treatment of psychiatric disorders such as major depression. This medication may increase the risk of suicidal thoughts or behavior in children, adolescents, and young adults, thus careful monitoring is required during administration. Particularly, it is recommended not to use this medication in children and adolescents under the age of 18 due to lack of established safety and efficacy. This medication may be hazardous when combined with specific drugs; therefore, patients taking MAO inhibitors or Pimavanserin should not be administered this medication. Patients with closed-angle glaucoma or a history of glaucoma should be cautious as this medication may dilate pupils and increase intraocular pressure. During the initial 1-2 weeks of administration, various side effects such as anxiety, insomnia, dizziness, and nausea may occur; however, most of these will decrease over time. This medication may prolong the QT interval related to heart rhythm, so cardiac patients may need an ECG before taking it. Additionally, this medication may lower sodium levels in the blood, so caution is needed for elderly patients or those with impaired kidney function. Abrupt discontinuation of this medication may cause withdrawal symptoms such as dizziness, anxiety, and sleep disturbances, therefore the dosage should be gradually reduced according to the doctor's instructions. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should carefully assess the use of this medication, as it may affect the fetus or newborn. It is advisable not to take this medication with alcohol, and caution is required when driving or operating machinery. In case of overdose, it may cause issues in the central nervous system, gastrointestinal system, and cardiovascular system, so the prescribed dosage must be adhered to. This medication should be stored out of reach of children, and transferring it to another container should be avoided. If any abnormal behavior such as changes in mental state, suicidal thoughts, or aggression occurs during the treatment, immediate consultation with a doctor is necessary.

Thrombocytopenia, anaphylactic reaction, inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion, hyperprolactinemia, decreased appetite, increased appetite, weight gain, weight loss, hyponatremia, loss of appetite, anxiety, restlessness, abnormal dreams, decreased libido, sexual dysfunction, bruxism, agitation, irritability, panic attack, confusion, aggression, depersonalization, hallucination, mania, suicidal thoughts, suicidal behavior, insomnia, drowsiness, dizziness, perceptual disturbance, tremor, taste disturbance, sleep disorder, syncope, serotonin syndrome, movement disorder, extrapyramidal disorder, seizures, psychomotor agitation, mydriasis, visual impairment, tinnitus, tachycardia, bradycardia, QT prolongation on ECG, polymorphic ventricular tachycardia, orthostatic hypotension, sinusitis, yawning, epistaxis, nausea, diarrhea, constipation, vomiting, polydipsia, gastrointestinal bleeding, hepatitis, abnormal liver function tests, increased sweating, urticaria, hair loss, rash, pruritus, petechiae, angioedema, arthralgia, myalgia, rhabdomyolysis, urinary retention, ejaculation disorder, erectile dysfunction, uterine bleeding, menorrhagia, galactorrhea, postpartum hemorrhage, priapism, fatigue, fever, edema, headache, xerostomia, abdominal pain, dyspepsia, enteritis, sensory disturbance, cough, asthma, dyspnea, fracture, palpitations, hypertension, paralysis, extrapyramidal disorder, migraine, hallucination, sexual dysfunction, dry mouth, tremor, nausea, diarrhea, palpitations, emotional instability, irritability, visual impairment, insomnia, aggressive response, loss of appetite, visual hallucination, sedation, polyuria

This medication is sensitive to light, thus it should be stored in a special container that does not allow light in. Additionally, it is best to store the medication at normal room temperature between 1 and 30 degrees Celsius, avoiding excessively hot or cold areas.

Appearance

White oval film-coated tablet

Package unit

30 tablets/bottle, 100 tablets/bottle