What Is Lexapro (Escitalopram) Used For?
Lexapro is the brand name for escitalopram, an SSRI antidepressant approved in the US for depression and generalized anxiety disorder. Here is what it treats, how it works and the usual dose, with a guide for each topic.
By withClaro Editorial · 2026-10-23 · 4 min read
Medical review pending. Written by the Claro editorial team from the FDA label and published studies.
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What is Lexapro used for? Mainly depression and generalized anxiety disorder. It starts acting within hours, but the effect on mood builds over weeks, and side effects often come first.
What is Lexapro used for?
In the US, the FDA approves Lexapro for two conditions: major depressive disorder, from age 12, and generalized anxiety disorder, from age 7. In the UK, the NHS also lists it for panic disorder, social anxiety disorder and OCD. US prescribers may also use it for these outside the label. It was first approved in 2002. About 9.5 million people in the US filled a prescription for escitalopram in 2024, about 41.8 million prescriptions in all, second among antidepressants after sertraline, by ClinCalc's estimates. The dose plan is the same for depression and anxiety, but your main symptom shapes what you and your prescriber watch to judge whether it helps.
What is the generic name for Lexapro?
The generic name is escitalopram. Pharmacy labels often say escitalopram oxalate, the salt form used in the tablets and the same medicine. The first generic was approved in 2012, and generic tablets contain the same active ingredient at the same strength.
What drug class is Lexapro?
Lexapro is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, or SSRI, which works on the serotonin system. The FDA label does not list it as a controlled substance. In the UK, the NHS says SSRIs are usually tried first, because their side effects tend to be easier to manage. For the other types, see the list of antidepressants.
How does Lexapro work?
Clinical section: medical review pending
Lexapro blocks the reuptake of serotonin, so more of it stays available between nerve cells, with minimal effect on noradrenaline and dopamine. Why mood still takes weeks is less simple.
The chemical change starts within hours, yet the effect on mood takes weeks. Current thinking points to slower changes in receptors, in brain circuits that handle emotion, and in how the brain forms new connections.
The idea that depression comes from a shortage of serotonin is now considered too simple. That leaves the mechanism unclear, as with many effective medicines. It does not change what trials show about whether antidepressants work.
That slow build is why the first weeks are judged by sleep, energy and anxiety rather than mood alone. Our guide on how long Lexapro takes to work covers the usual timeline.
What doses does Lexapro come in?
Lexapro comes as 5 mg, 10 mg and 20 mg tablets. The usual adult dose is 10 mg once a day, with or without food. The maximum is 20 mg, and for adults an increase should wait at least a week; for teenagers with depression, the label says at least three weeks, and for children and teenagers with generalized anxiety, at least two weeks. In fixed-dose trials 20 mg did not do better than 10 mg, and some side effects were about twice as common at 20 mg: fatigue affected 2% on placebo, 2% on 10 mg and 6% on 20 mg, and indigestion 1%, 2% and 6%. That is why the dose usually begins at 10 mg and goes up only if needed. People over 65 and people with liver problems are usually kept at 10 mg. More in Lexapro dosage.
How long does Lexapro stay in your system?
A half-life is the time it takes for half of a dose to leave the blood. For escitalopram it is about 27 to 32 hours, so in most adults nearly all of a dose is gone within about a week of the last one. In people over 65 the half-life is about 50% longer, so it takes nine or ten days. One late dose rarely causes problems, but several missed days can bring on withdrawal symptoms. In the UK, the NHS advises taking a missed dose when you remember unless the next one is nearly due, and never doubling up.
What side effects does Lexapro cause?
The most common side effects in trials were insomnia, nausea, sweating, tiredness or sleepiness and sexual side effects. The NHS says most side effects ease after a couple of weeks as your body gets used to the medicine, though some last longer. Sexual side effects can last while you take it. The label says its figures for them likely underestimate how often they happen, since people rarely report them unprompted, so raise them with your prescriber rather than waiting. The label counts them separately for men and women.
Like every US antidepressant, Lexapro carries an FDA boxed warning: suicidal thoughts and behavior rose in people up to age 24 in trials, while from 25 the risk was no higher, or lower, than on placebo. The label's Medication Guide says to call your healthcare provider or get emergency help right away for thoughts about suicide or dying, a suicide attempt, acting on dangerous impulses, acting aggressive or violent, new or worse depression or anxiety, panic attacks, feeling very agitated or restless, new or worse irritability, trouble sleeping, an extreme increase in activity or talking, or other unusual changes in mood or behavior, especially in the first months and after a dose change. If you have thoughts of harming yourself, call or text 988 in the US, or find a crisis line.
What should you tell your prescriber before starting Lexapro?
Some conditions and medications change how Lexapro is used, so it is worth naming them at the first appointment. Before you start, tell your prescriber about:
- other antidepressants you have taken and how they went
- other medications, especially blood thinners, everyday pain relievers like ibuprofen and aspirin, migraine triptans and St John's wort
- heart rhythm problems, liver problems or a history of low sodium or mania
- pregnancy, plans for pregnancy or breastfeeding
Download on the App Store Lexapro often changes sleep, energy and anxiety before it lifts mood, which is easy to lose track of. The withClaro app lets you log mood, energy, sleep and side effects each day, linked to your dose, and turns it into a report for your doctor.
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Sources
- FDA label: Lexapro (escitalopram), DailyMed
- Drugs@FDA: Lexapro, application 021323
- ClinCalc DrugStats: The Top 300 Drugs of 2024
- Pastoor and Gobburu, 2014, Expert Opinion on Drug Metabolism and Toxicology: Clinical pharmacology review of escitalopram for the treatment of depression
- MedlinePlus: Escitalopram
- NHS: Antidepressants, overview and types
- NHS: Escitalopram
- National Institute of Mental Health: Mental Health Medications
- Royal College of Psychiatrists: Antidepressants
- Cipriani et al., 2018, The Lancet: Comparative efficacy and acceptability of 21 antidepressant drugs
Claro articles are for self-monitoring and educational purposes only. They are not a medical device, therapist, or diagnostic tool, and do not replace care from your prescribing clinician. If you are in crisis, contact your care team, emergency services, the Samaritans (UK: 116 123), or the Crisis Text Line (US: text HOME to 741741).