Escitalopram (Cipralex,10, and 15 and 20 mg): Essential Information for Patients and Caregivers.. pharmacyteach

 Escitalopram

Film-coated tablets

Cipralex 10 mg film-coated tablets

Cipralex 15 mg film-coated tablets

Cipralex 20 mg film-coated tablets

 

Read this entire article carefully before you starts taking this medicine because it contains important information for you.

Keep save this article. You may need to read it again.

If you have any further questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

This medicine has been prescribed for you. Do not pass it on to others. It may harm them, even if their signs of illness are the same as yours.

If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This Includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet.

 

What is in this Article?

1. What Cipralex is and what it is used for

2. What you need to know before you take Cipralex

3. How to take Cipralex

4. Possible side effects

5. How to store Cipralex

6. Contents of the pack and other information

   

1. What Cipralex is and what it is used for

Cipralex contains the active substance Escitalopram. Escitalopram belongs to a group of antidepressants called selective serotonin reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs). These medicines act on the serotonin-system in the brain by increasing the serotonin level. Disturbances in the serotonin-system are considered an important factor in the development of depression and related diseases.

Cipralex contains Escitalopram and is used to treat depression (major depressive episodes) and anxiety disorders (such as panic disorder with or without agoraphobia, social anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder).

 Learn About : Common Drug Interactions and Contraindications Every Doctor Should Know. 

2. What do you need to know before you take Cipralex?

Do not take Cipralex

Ø If you are allergic to Escitalopram or any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6).

Ø If you take other medicines that belong to a group called MAO inhibitors, including moclobemide (used in the treatment of depression). At the same time as taking pimozide.

 Find creatinine clearance using an online creatinine clearance calculator. 

Warnings and precautions

Please tell your doctor if you have any other condition or illness, as you doctor may need to take this into consideration. In particular, tell your doctor:

Ø If you have epilepsy. Treatment with Cipralex should be stopped

Ø If seizures occur for the first time, or if there is an increase in the seizure frequency (see also section 4 "Possible side effects").
Ø If you suffer from impaired liver or kidney function, Your doctor may need to adjust your dosage.
Ø If you have diabetes, Treatment with Cipralex may alter glycemic control. Insulin and/or oral hypoglycemic dosage may need to be adjusted.
Ø If you have a decreased level of sodium in the blood.
Ø If you have a tendency to easily develop bleedings or bruises, or if you are pregnant (see 'Pregnancy, breast-feeding and fertility').
Ø If you are receiving electroconvulsive treatment.
Ø If you have coronary heart disease.
Ø If you have or have previously had eye problems, such as certain kinds of glaucoma (increased pressure in the eye).

 

Please note

Some patients with manic-depressive illness may enter into a manic phase. This is characterized by unusual and rapidly changing ideas, inappropriate happiness and excessive physical activity. If you experience this, contact your doctor.

Symptoms such as restlessness or difficulty to sit or stand still can also occur during the first weeks of the treatment. Tell your doctor immediately if you experience these symptoms.

Ø Thoughts of suicide and worsening of your depression or anxiety disorder

Ø If you are depressed and/or have anxiety disorders you can sometimes have thoughts of harming or killing yourself. These may be increased when first starting antidepressants, since these medicines all take time to work, usually about two weeks but sometimes longer.

 

You may be more likely to think like this:

Ø If you have previously had thoughts about killing or harming yourself.

• Ø If you are a young adult, Information from clinical trials has shown an increased risk of suicidal behavior in adults aged less than 25 years with psychiatric conditions who were treated with an antidepressant.
• Ø If you have thoughts of harming or killing yourself at any time, contact your doctor or go to a hospital straight away.

 

You may find it helpful to tell a relative or close friend that you are depressed or have an anxiety disorder, and ask them to read this leaflet. You might ask them to tell you if they think your depression or anxiety is getting worse, or if they are worried about changes in your behaviour.

 

Children and adolescents

Escitalopram should normally not be used for children and adolescents under 18 years. Also, you should know that patients under 18 have an increased risk of side-effects such as suicide attempts, suicidal thoughts and hostility (predominately aggression, oppositional behaviour and anger) when they take this class of medicines. Despite this, your doctor may prescribe Escitalopram for patients under 18 because he/she decides that this is in their best interest. If your doctor has prescribed Escitalopram for a patient under 18 and you want to discuss this, please go back to your doctor. You should inform your doctor if any symptoms listed above develop or worsen when patients under 18 are taking Cipralex (Escitalopram). Also, the long term safety effects concerning growth, maturation and cognitive and behavioural development of Cipralex in this age group have not yet been demonstrated.

 

Other medicines and Escitalopram

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines.

 

Tell your doctor if you are taking any of the following medicines: "Non-selective monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs)", containing phenelzine, iproniazid, isocarboxazid, nialamide, and tranylcypromine as active ingredients. If you have taken any of these medicines you will need to wait 14 days before you start taking Escitalopram. After stopping Cipralex you must allow 7 days before taking any of these medicines.

Ø "Reversible, selective MAO-A inhibitors", containing moclobemide (used to treat depression).

Ø "Irreversible MAO-B inhibitors", containing selegiline (used to treat Parkinson's disease). These increase the risk of side effects.

Ø The antibiotic linezolid.
Ø Lithium (used in the treatment of manic-depressive disorder) and tryptophan. Imipramine and desipramine (both used to treat depression).
Ø Sumatriptan and similar medicines (used to treat migraine) and tramadol and similar medicines (used against severe pain). These increase the risk of side effects.
Ø Cimetidine and omeprazole (used to treat stomach ulcers), fluvoxamine (antidepressant) and ticlopidine (used to reduce the risk of stroke). These may cause increased blood levels of Cipralex.
Ø St John's Wort (hypericum perforatum - a herbal remedy used for depression).
Ø Acetylsalicylic acid and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (medicines used for pain relief or to thin the blood, so called anti-coagulant). These may increase bleeding-tendency.
Ø Warfarin, dipyridamole, and phenprocoumon (medicines used to thin the blood, called anti-coagulant). Your doctor will probably check the coagulation time of your blood when starting and discontinuing Cipralex to verify that your dose of anticoagulant is still adequate.
Ø Mefloquin (used to treat Malaria), bupropion (used to treat depression) and tramadol (used to treat severe pain) due to a possible risk of a lowered threshold for seizures.
 
Ø Neuroleptics (medicines to treat schizophrenia, psychosis) due to a possible risk of a lowered threshold for seizures, and antidepressants.
Ø Flecainide, propafenone, and metoprolol (used in cardio-vascular diseases), clomipramine, and nortriptyline (antidepressants) and risperidone, thioridazine, and haloperidol (antipsychotics). The dosage of Cipralex may need to be adjusted.
   

Cipralex (Escitalopram) with food, drink and alcohol

Escitalopram can be taken with or without food (see section 3 "How to take Cipralex").

As with many medicines, combining Cipralex with alcohol is not advisable, although Cipralex is not expected to interact with alcohol

Pregnancy, breast-feeding and fertility

Inform your doctor if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant. Do not take Escitalopram if you are pregnant or breast-feeding, unless you and your doctor have discussed the risks and benefits involved.

If you take Escitalopram during the last 3 months of your pregnancy you should be aware that the following effects may be seen in your newborn baby: trouble with breathing, bluish skin, fits, body temperature changes, feeding difficulties, vomiting, low blood sugar, stiff or floppy muscles, vivid reflexes, tremor, jitteriness, irritability, lethargy, constant crying, sleepiness and sleeping difficulties. If your newborn baby has any of these symptoms, please contact your doctor immediately.

 

Make sure your midwife and/or doctor know you are on Cipralex. When taken during pregnancy, particularly in the last 3 months of pregnancy. medicines like Cipralex may increase the risk of a serious condition in babies, called persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN), making the baby breathe faster and appear bluish. These symptoms usually begin during the first 24 hours after the baby is born. If this happens to your baby you should contact your midwife and/or doctor immediately.

 

If you take Escitalopram near the end of your pregnancy there may be an increased risk of heavy vaginal bleeding shortly after birth, especially if you have a history of bleeding disorders. Your doctor or midwife should be aware that you are taking Cipralex so they can advise you.

If used during pregnancy Escitalopram should never be stopped abruptly.

It is expected that Cipralex will be excreted into breast milk.

Citalopram, a medicine like Escitalopram, has been shown to reduce the quality of sperm in animal studies. Theoretically, this could affect fertility, bit impact on human fertility has not been observed as yet.

Ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking any medicine.

Driving and using machines

You are advised not to drive a car or operate machinery until you know how Cipralex affects you.

 

3. How to take Cipralex

Always take this medicine exactly as your doctor has told you. Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure.

Adults

Depression

The normally recommended dose of Escitalopram is 10 mg taken as one daily dose. The dose may be increased by your doctor to a maximum of 20 mg per day.

 

Panic disorder

The starting dose of Cipralex is 5 mg as one daily dose for the first week before increasing the dose to 10 mg per day. The dose may be further increased by your doctor to a maximum of 20 mg per day.

 

Social anxiety disorder

The normally recommended dose of Cipralex is 10 mg taken as one daily dose. Your doctor can either decrease your dose to 5 mg per day or increase the dose to a maximum of 20 mg per day, depending on how you respond to the medicine.

 

Generalized anxiety disorder

The normally recommended dose of Cipralex is 10 mg taken as one daily dose. The dose may be increased by your doctor to a maximum of 20 mg per day.

 

Obsessive-compulsive disorder

The normally recommended dose of Cipralex is 10 mg taken as one daily dose. The dose may be increased by your doctor to a maximum of 20 mg per day.

 

Elderly patients (above 65 years of age)

The normally recommended starting dose of Cipralex is 5 mg taken as One daily dose.

 

Use in children and adolescents

Escitalopram should not normally be given to children and adolescents. For further information please see section 2 "Before you take Cipralex".

 

You can take Cipralex with or without food. Swallow the tablet with some water. Do not chew them, as the taste is bitter.

If necessary, you can divide the tablets by firstly placing the tablet on a flat surface with the score facing upwards. The tablets may then be broken by pressing down on each end of the tablet, using both forefingers as shown in the drawing.

 

Duration of treatment

It may take a couple of weeks before you start to feel better. Continue to take Escitalopram even if it takes some time before you feel any improvement in your condition.

Do not change the dose of your medicine without talking to your doctor first.

Continue to take Escitalopram for as long as your doctor recommends. If you stop your treatment too soon, your symptoms may return. It is recommended that treatment should be continued for at least 6 months after you feel well again.

 

If you take more Escitalopram than you should

If you take more than the prescribed dose of Cipralex, contact your doctor or nearest hospital emergency department immediately. Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort. Some of the signs of an overdose could be dizziness, tremor, agitation, convulsion, coma, nausea, vomiting, change in heart rhythm, decreased blood pressure and change in body fluid/salt balance. Take the Cipralex box /container with you when you go to the doctor or hospital.

 

If you forget to take Cipralex

Do not take a double dose to make up for forgotten doses. If you do forget to take a dose, and you remember before you go to bed, take it straight away. Carry on as usual the next day. If you only remember during the night, or the next day, leave out the missed dose and carry on as usual.

 

If you stop taking Cipralex

Do not stop taking Cipralex until your doctor tells you to do so. When you have completed your course of treatment, it is generally advised that the dose of Cipralex is gradually reduced over a number of weeks.

 

When you stop taking Escitalopram, especially if it is abruptly, you may feel discontinuation symptoms. These are common when treatment with Escitalopram is stopped. The risk is higher, when Cipralex has been used for a long time or in high doses or when the dose is reduced too quickly. Most people find that the symptoms are mild and go away on their own within two weeks. However, in some patients they may be severe in intensity or they may be prolonged (2-3 months or more). If you get severe discontinuation symptoms when you stop taking Cipralex, please contact your doctor. He or she may ask you to start taking your tablets again and come off them more slowly.

 

Discontinuation symptoms include: Feeling dizzy (unsteady or off. balance), feelings like pins and needles, burning sensations and (less commonly) electric shock sensations, including in the head, sleep disturbances (vivid dreams, nightmares, inability to sleep), feeling anxious, headaches, feeling sick (nausea), sweating (including night sweats), feeling restless or agitated, tremor (shakiness), feeling confused or disorientated, feeling emotional or irritable, diarrhea (loose stools), visual disturbances, fluttering or pounding heartbeat (palpitations).

If you have any further questions on the use of this product, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

 Find creatinine clearance using an online creatinine clearance calculator. 

4. Possible side effects

Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.

The side effects usually disappear after a few weeks of treatment.

Please be aware that many of the effects may also be symptoms of your illness and therefore will improve when you start to get better.

 

See your doctor if you get any of the following side effects during treatment:

1.     Uncommon (may affect up to 1 in 100 people):

• Unusual bleeds, including gastrointestinal bleeds

 

2.     Rare (may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people):

If you experience swelling of skin, tongue, lips, or face, or have difficulties breathing or swallowing (allergic reaction), contact your doctor or go to a hospital straight away.

If you have a high fever, agitation, confusion, trembling and abrupt contractions of muscles these may be signs of a rare condition called serotonin syndrome. If you feel like this contact your doctor.

 

If you experience the following side effects you should contact your doctor or go to the hospital straight away:

Difficulties urinating

Seizures (fits), see also section "Warnings and precautions"

Yellowing of the skin and the white in the eyes are signs of liver function impairment/hepatitis

 

In addition to above the following side effects have been reported:

Very common (may affect more than 1 in 10 people):

·        Feeling sick (nausea)

 

Common (may affect up to 1 in 10 people):

·        Blocked or runny nose (sinusitis)
·        Decreased or increased appetite
·        Anxiety, restlessness, abnormal dreams, difficulties falling asleep, feeling sleepy, dizziness, yawning, tremors, prickling of the skin
·        Diarrhoea, constipation, vomiting, dry mouth
·        Increased sweating
·        Pain in muscle and joints (arthralgia and myalgia)
·        Sexual disturbances (delayed ejaculation, problems with erection, decreased sexual drive and women may experience difficulties achieving orgasm) Fatigue, fever
·         Increased weight

 

Uncommon (may affect up to 1 in 100 people):

·        Nettle rash (urticaria), rash, itching (pruritus)
·        Grinding one's teeth, agitation, nervousness, panic attack, confusion state. 
·        Disturbed sleep, taste disturbance, fainting (syncope)
·        Enlarged pupils (mydriasis), visual disturbance, ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
·        Loss of hair
·        Excessive menstrual bleeding
·        Irregular menstrual period
·        Decreased weight
·        Fast heart beat
·        Swelling of the arms or legs
·        Nosebleeds

 

Rare (may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people):

·        Aggression, depersonalisation, hallucination
·        Slow heart beat
 

Not known (frequency cannot be estimated from the available data):

·        Thoughts of harming yourself or thoughts of killing yourself, see also section "Warnings and precautions"
·        Decreased levels of sodium in the blood (the symptoms are feeling sick and unwell with weak muscles or confused)
·        Dizziness when you stand up due to low blood pressure (orthostatic hypotension)
·        Abnormal liver function test (increased amounts of liver enzymes in the blood)
·        Movement disorders (involuntary movements of the muscles)
·        Painful erections (priapism)
·        Bleeding disorders including skin and mucous bleeding (ecchymosis) and low level of blood platelets (thrombocytopenia)
·        Heavy vaginal bleeding shortly after birth (post-partum haemorrhage), see 'Pregnancy, breast-feeding and fertility' in section 2 for more information
·        Sudden swelling of skin or mucosa (angioedemas)
·        Increase in the amount of urine excreted (inappropriate ADH secretion)
·        Flow of milk in men and in women that are not nursing
·        Mania
·        An increased risk of bone fractures has been observed in patients taking this type of medicines.

 

In addition, a number of side effects are known to occur with drugs that work in a similar way to Escitalopram (the active ingredient of Cipralex).

These are:

·        Motor restlessness (akathisia)
·        Anorexia
If you get any side effects talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet.

 

5. How to store Cipralex

 

Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.

Do not store above 30 °C.

Do not use this medicine after the expiry date, which is stated on the label or carton after EXP. The expiry date refers to the last day of that month.

Do not throw away any medicines via wastewater or household waste.

Ask your pharmacist how to throw away medicines you no longer use.

These measures will help protect the environment.

 

6. Contents of the pack and further information

 

What Cipralex contains

The active substance is Escitalopram. Each Cipralex tablet contains 5 mg, 10 mg, 15 mg or 20 mg Escitalopram (as oxalate).

The other ingredients are:

Core: microcrystalline cellulose, colloidal anhydrous silica, talc, croscarmellose sodium and magnesium stearate.

Coating: hypromellose, macrogol 400 and titanium dioxide (E-171).

 

What Cipralex looks like and contents of the pack

Cipralex is presented as 5 mg, 10 mg, 15 mg and 20 mg film-coated tablets. The tablets are described below.

5 mg: Round, white biconvex film-coated tablets marked with "EK" on one side.

10 mg: Oval, white film-coated tablets. The tablets are scored and marked with "E" and "L" on each side of the score on one side of the tablet.

15 mg: Oval, white film-coated tablets. The tablets are scored and marked with "E" and "M" on each side of the score on one side of the tablet.

20 mg: Oval, white film-coated tablets. The tablets are scored and marked with "E" and "N" on each side of the score on one side of the tablet.

Cipralex is available in the following pack sizes:

Blisters in cardboard box 14, 28 and 98 tablets

Not all strengths or pack sizes may be marketed in your country.