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Treatment is Available
It is important to remember that depression is a medical condition like any other. And, just as there are treatments for conditions like diabetes or heart disease, there are treatment options available for depression. LEXAPRO® has been proven in clinical trials to be an effective and well-tolerated prescription medication that improves the quality and enjoyment of life for adults suffering from depression and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)1,2.
LEXAPRO Can Effectively Treat Depression
Lexapro is a member of the group of prescription drugs called Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs). Because SSRIs show improved safety and have fewer side effects than older classes of antidepressant medications, SSRIs are increasingly prescribed by doctors as the first choice of therapy for depression3. Lexapro has been prescribed to over 15 million patients in the U.S4. With just one 10 mg tablet a day, Lexapro significantly improves the symptoms of depression and anxiety for many patients beginning at week 1 or 2, although it may take 4 to 6 weeks to experience LEXAPRO's full antidepressant/antianxiety benefits.
Lexapro is a powerful medicine that is well tolerated. In studies of patients taking 10 mg a day of LEXAPRO, the number of people who stopped taking LEXAPRO due to side effects was comparable to those who took placebo (sugar pill) in the treatment of depression, and low in the treatment of GAD1,5,6*.
The most commonly reported side effects of Lexapro are nausea, insomnia, problems with ejaculation, somnolence, increased sweating, fatigue, decreased libido, and anorgasmia. Most of the side effects experienced by patients taking Lexapro are mild to moderate and go away with continued treatment, and usually do not cause patients to stop taking Lexapro.
*8% for LEXAPRO vs 4% for placebo in the comprehensive GAD safety database.
How LEXAPRO Works
LEXAPRO helps to restore the brain's chemical balance by increasing the supply of a chemical messenger in the brain called serotonin. LEXAPRO appears to relieve the symptoms of depression and anxiety by increasing serotonin with minimal effect on many of the other chemicals in the brain.
Talking to Your Doctor
Starting a conversation with your doctor about depression may be uncomfortable, but it's very important. If you are unsure how to talk to your doctor about your symptoms, see Talking to Your Doctor to help you organize your thoughts, feelings, and questions so you can get the most out of your visit.
If you think you may be experiencing the symptoms of depression, you can start taking charge of your health today by taking the Depression Self-Screener. You can print out your results to bring to your doctor's appointment. This can help your doctor get a better sense of what you've been feeling.
References: 1. Burke WJ, Gergel I, Bose A. Fixed-dosed trial of the single isomer SSRI escitalopram in depressed outpatients. J Clin Psychiatry. 2002;63:331-336. 2. Data on file, Forest Laboratories, Inc. 3. National Center for Health Statistics. Health, United, States, 2004. With Chartbook on Trends in the Health of Americans. Hyattsville, MD: 2004. 4. Wolters Kluwer Health, Lexapro Projected Unique Patient Counts since launch, May 2007. 5. Lexapro [package insert]. St Louis, MO: Forest Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; 2005. 6. Goodman WK, Bose A, Wang Q. Escitalopram 10 mg/day is effective in the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder. Poster presented at: 23rd Annual Conference of the Anxiety Disorders Association of America; March 27-30, 2003; Toronto, Canada.
