Escitalopram oxalate is a derivative of citalopram, usually half a tablet is about 5mg, in the treatment of depressive disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, the minimum effective dose varies.
1. Depressive disorders: The current recommended starting dose is 10mg, with dosage adjusted according to the situation; 5mg is not recommended.
2. Panic disorder: clinical trials evaluated the efficacy of escitalopram by comparing the 5-20 mg/day escitalopram group with the placebo group and the 10-40 mg/day citalopram group. There was a statistically significant advantage in efficacy in the escitalopram group over the placebo group, so 5 mg was effective for panic disorder.
3. Social anxiety phobia: A 24-week, long-term, placebo-controlled trial confirmed the effectiveness of escitalopram at doses of 5, 10, and 20 mg.
4. Generalized anxiety disorder: The results of four placebo-controlled trials have confirmed the effectiveness of escitalopram at 10 mg/day and 20 mg/day, but not at 5 mg/day.
In summary, 5 mg oral treatment is an option for all types of indications except generalized anxiety disorder. Clinical individuality is highly variable and medication should be administered under the supervision of a physician.