Escitalopram for the treatment of depression and anxiety disorder

Overview

Because major depression and anxiety disorders have negative effects on the patient’s quality of life as well as on other disease states, proper recognition and treatment of depression and pathologic anxiety are important in primary care setting. The submitted article sumarizes pharmacological characteristics and clinical efficacy of the latest selective serotonin inhibitor, escitalopram, which is the first pure antidepressant stereoisomer in clinical use. Escitalopram is effective across different diagnoses in the group of mood and anxiety disorders: major depression, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, general anxiety disorder, social phobia, and premenstrual dysphoric disorder. Escitalopram is well tolerated in the short- and in longterm treatment.

Key words:
antidepressants – SSRI – escitalopram – treatment – major depression – anxiety disorders.