Citalopram Hydrobromide

Citalopram, sold under the brand name Celexa among others, is an antidepressant of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) class. It is used to treat major depressive disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, panic disorder, and social phobia. The antidepressant effects may take one to four weeks to occur. It is taken by mouth. Common side effects include nausea, trouble sleeping, sexual problems, shakiness, feeling tired, and sweating. Serious side effects include an increased risk of suicide in those under the age of 25, serotonin syndrome, glaucoma, and QT prolongation. It should not be used in someone on a MAO inhibitor. Antidepressant discontinuation syndrome may occur when stopped. There are concerns that use during pregnancy may harm the baby. Citalopram was approved for medical use in the United States in 1998. It is available as a generic medication. In the United Kingdom, a typical dose costs less than 20 GBP per month. In the United States, it costs 50 to 100 USD per month as of 2016. In 2016, it was the 21st most prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 26 million prescriptions. In the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence ranking of 10 antidepressants for efficacy and cost-effectiveness citalopram is fifth in effectiveness (after mirtazapine, escitalopram, venlafaxine, and sertraline) and fourth in cost-effectiveness. The ranking results were based on the meta-analysis by Andrea Cipriani. In another analysis by Cipriani, citalopram was found to be more efficacious than paroxetine and reboxetine, and more acceptable than tricyclics, reboxetine, and venlafaxine, but less efficacious than escitalopram. Evidence for effectiveness of citalopram for treating depression in children is uncertain. Citalopram is licensed in the UK and other European countries for panic disorder, with or without agoraphobia. Citalopram may be used off-label to treat anxiety, and dysthymia, premenstrual dysphoric disorder, body dysmorphic disorder, and obsessive–compulsive disorder. It has been shown to be effective in 85% of patients with generalized anxiety disorder, including some who had failed with other SSRIs. It also appears to be as effective as fluvoxamine and paroxetine in obsessive–compulsive disorder. Some data suggest the effectiveness of intravenous infusion of citalopram in resistant OCD.Citalopram is well tolerated and as effective as moclobemide in social anxiety disorder. There are studies suggesting that citalopram can be useful in reducing aggressive and impulsive behavior. It appears to be superior to placebo for behavioural disturbances associated with dementia. It has also been used successfully for hypersexuality in early Alzheimer’s disease.