Lexa Tablets 5mg (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, regardless of meals. 1) Adults (1) Major depressive disorder: The usual dosage is 10mg once daily. Depending on the patient's response, the dose may be increased to a maximum of 20mg per day. If increasing the dose of this drug to 20mg, the dose should be increased at intervals of at least 1 week. In general, 2-4 weeks are needed for antidepressants to take effect. Even after symptoms have resolved, at least 6 months of drug therapy is needed 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 reassess each patient to determine the need for continued treatment. (3) Social anxiety disorder: The usual dosage is 10mg once daily. In general, 2-4 weeks are needed 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 patients who responded was studied for 6 months, and should be considered for each patient to prevent relapse. The usefulness of long-term treatment should be reassessed regularly. 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 dosage is 10mg once daily. Depending on the patient's response, after at least 1 week of treatment, the dose may be increased to a maximum of 20mg per day. A long-term treatment study was conducted in patients who responded to 12 weeks of open-label treatment, administering 20mg per day for at least 6 months. The physician should regularly reassess the usefulness of long-term treatment with this drug for each patient. (5) Obsessive-compulsive disorder: The usual dosage 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 treatment study was conducted in patients who responded to 16 weeks of open-label treatment, administering 10mg or 20mg per day for at least 24 weeks. Obsessive-compulsive disorder is a chronic condition, so treatment should be continued for a sufficient period to ensure symptom remission. When this drug is administered long term, the usefulness and dosage should be regularly reassessed for each patient. 2) Patients with renal impairment No dosage adjustment is necessary in patients with mild or moderate renal impairment. Caution should be exercised in patients with severe renal impairment (CLCR < 30㎖/min). 3) Patients with hepatic impairment It is recommended to administer an initial dose of 5mg per day for the first 2 weeks. Depending on the patient's response, the dose may be increased to 10mg per day. 4) Discontinuation of treatment 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 used to treat 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 discontinuing this drug. 6) Other MAO inhibitors such as linezolid or methylene blue Patients receiving linezolid or intravenous methylene blue should not be started on this drug because of the increased risk of serotonin syndrome. For patients requiring treatment of a more urgent psychiatric condition, including hospitalization and other interventions, administration should be considered. It may be necessary to urgently administer linezolid or intravenous methylene blue to a patient 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. The patient 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 intravenous administration of this drug at 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 may increase the risk of suicidal thoughts or behavior in children, adolescents, and young adults with major depressive disorder or other psychiatric conditions, thus careful decision by the physician is necessary regarding its administration. This medication should not be used in combination with certain drugs, especially MAO inhibitors, pimozide, or drugs that prolong the QT interval, as severe side effects may occur. Patients with glaucoma or a history of glaucoma should use this medication cautiously as it may dilate the pupils and increase intraocular pressure. During the initial 1-2 weeks of administration, common side effects such as anxiety, insomnia, dizziness, and nausea may occur, and these symptoms tend to decrease over time. During the course of antidepressant treatment, there may be a worsening of depressive symptoms or abnormal behavior such as suicidal thoughts, aggressiveness, and impulsivity, requiring careful monitoring by the patient and family. Any unusual signs should be reported immediately to a physician. This medication may increase the risk of seizures in epilepsy patients; therefore, close monitoring before and after administration is required. Abrupt discontinuation of this medication may lead to withdrawal symptoms such as dizziness, anxiety, and sleep disturbances, and should be tapered gradually following medical advice. Pregnant or breastfeeding individuals should consult a physician before taking this medication as it may affect the fetus or newborn; discontinuation of breastfeeding is recommended if taking this medication. Elderly patients should start at a lower dose and be cautious in dose adjustments, and patients with heart diseases should exercise caution due to the potential risk of arrhythmias. This medication may require caution when driving or operating machinery; patients should carefully observe their own condition after taking it. In cases of overdose, central nervous system abnormalities, gastrointestinal disturbances, and cardiac arrhythmias may occur, requiring immediate medical attention. This medication should be kept out of reach of children and should not be transferred to other containers for safety.

Thrombocytopenia, anaphylactic reaction, inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone, hyperprolactinemia, decreased appetite, increased appetite, weight gain, weight loss, hyponatremia, anorexia, anxiety, restlessness, abnormal dreams, decreased libido, sexual dysfunction, bruxism, agitation, hypersensitivity, panic attack, confusion, aggression, depersonalization, hallucination, mania, suicidal ideation, suicidal behavior, insomnia, drowsiness, dizziness, perceptual disturbance, tremor, taste disorder, sleep disorder, fainting, serotonin syndrome, dyskinesia, movement disorder, convulsions, psychomotor agitation, akathisia, mydriasis, visual impairment, tinnitus, tachycardia, bradycardia, QT interval prolongation, polymorphic ventricular tachycardia, ventricular arrhythmia, orthostatic hypotension, sinusitis, yawning, nosebleed, nausea, diarrhea, constipation, vomiting, dry mouth, gastrointestinal bleeding, hepatitis, abnormal liver function tests, increased sweating, urticaria, hair loss, rash, itching, petechiae, angioedema, arthralgia, myalgia, rhabdomyolysis, urinary retention, ejaculation disorder, erectile dysfunction, uterine bleeding, menorrhagia, galactorrhea, postpartum hemorrhage, priapism, fatigue, fever, edema, headache, dry mouth, abdominal pain, indigestion, enteritis, sensory disturbance, cough, sexual dysfunction, palpitations, paralysis, extrapyramidal disorder, migraine, asthma, dyspnea, fracture, hypertension, chest pain, frequent urination, tremors, dry mouth, heartburn, sedation, anxiety, visual hallucination, insomnia, hallucination, emotional instability, irritability, visual impairment, dizziness, sleep disorder, agitation, confusion, sweating, headache, diarrhea, palpitations, hypotension, hypokalemia, hypomagnesemia

This medication should be stored in a tightly closed container to protect it from air and moisture. It is best to maintain storage temperatures between 1 to 30 degrees Celsius at room temperature.

Appearance

White round film-coated tablets

Package unit

30 tablets/bottle, 300 tablets/bottle