Citalopram-Ratiopharm
Citalopram-ratiopharm is an antidepressant that helps by increasing serotonin in the brain to treat severe depression.
Form
tabletti, kalvopäällysteinen
Strength
40 mg
Active Ingredient
Citalopram hydrobromide
Manufacturer
ratiopharm GmbH
How to Use
Dosage
The usual dose for adults is 20 mg once a day. Your doctor may increase this up to a maximum of 40 mg. For patients over 65 or with liver problems, the dose is generally a maximum of 20 mg per day.
Method
Take the tablet by mouth once daily, either in the morning or evening, with liquid, with or without food.
Important
The maximum daily dose is 40 mg for adults, and generally no more than 20 mg for patients over 65 or with liver disease.
Possible Side Effects
COMMON
- •Sleepiness, sleeplessness, headache
- •Nausea, dry mouth, increased sweating
- •Feeling weak and tired (asthenia)
- •Difficulty for eyes to adapt to different viewing distances
- •Increased or decreased appetite, weight loss
- •Agitation, nervousness, confusion
- •Anxiety, abnormal dreams, memory loss, apathy
- •Migraine
- •Tremor, tingling or numbness in hands or feet, dizziness
- •Difficulty concentrating
- •Taste disturbances
- •Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
- •Palpitations, high or low blood pressure
- •Yawning, runny nose, sinusitis
- •Diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, stomach problems (stomach pain, indigestion, gas), increased salivation
- •Itching
- •Muscle and joint pain
- •Excessive or abnormal urine volume, difficulty urinating
- •Decreased sexual desire
- •Difficulty reaching orgasm in women, menstrual pain/cramps
- •Ejaculation and erection disorders in men
- •Impotence
- •Tiredness
RARE
- •Aggression, hallucinations, hyperactivity, elevated mood (mania), feeling unreal or detached (depersonalization), euphoria
- •Sudden loss of consciousness or fainting
- •Dilated pupils
- •Fast or slow heart rate
- •Hives, hair loss, rash, bruising, photosensitivity
- •Abnormally heavy and prolonged menstrual periods, irregular uterine bleeding, bleeding between periods
- •Swelling in arms and legs
- •Increased sexual desire
- •Convulsions, involuntary movements
- •Bleeding
- •Liver inflammation (hepatitis)
- •Cough
- •Fever
- •General malaise
- •Heart rhythm disorders
- •Increased bleeding and bruising due to reduced platelets
- •Low potassium in the blood (hypokalemia)
- •Panic attack
- •Teeth grinding
- •Unusual muscle movements or stiffness
- •Restlessness, involuntary muscle movements (akathisia)
- •Vision disturbances
- •Changes in ECG
- •Drop in blood pressure when standing up from sitting or lying down (sometimes with dizziness)
- •Nosebleed
- •Bleeding disorders including gastrointestinal, rectal, skin, and mucous membrane bleeding
- •Abnormal liver function tests
- •Sudden swelling of the skin or mucous membranes due to fluid retention
- •Irregular vaginal bleeding
- •Very heavy vaginal bleeding shortly after childbirth
- •Men: painful erections
- •Increased prolactin levels in blood
- •Milk secretion in men or non-breastfeeding women (galactorrhea)
- •Increased risk of bone fractures
Important Warnings
- Do not use if you are allergic to citalopram or any other ingredients in this medicine.
- Do not use if you are taking or have recently taken MAO inhibitors (antidepressants like moclobemide). You may need to wait up to 14 days after stopping an MAOI before starting Citalopram-ratiopharm, and 7 days after stopping Citalopram-ratiopharm before starting an MAOI. Selegiline can be used concurrently, up to 10 mg daily.
- Do not use if you have an abnormal heart rhythm (seen on an ECG) or if you are taking medicines for heart rhythm problems.
- Do not use if you are taking linezolid (for bacterial infections), unless under strict medical supervision and blood pressure monitoring.
- If you have thoughts of harming yourself or committing suicide, contact your doctor immediately or go to a hospital.
Show 7 more warnings
- Seek immediate medical attention if you experience high fever, shaking, sudden muscle jerks, and agitation, as these can be signs of serotonin syndrome, which requires stopping the medication.
- Tell your doctor if you feel unwell with muscle weakness or confusion, as these could be signs of low sodium in the blood.
- Do not stop taking this medicine suddenly, as it can cause withdrawal symptoms. Your doctor will help you reduce the dose gradually.
- Stop taking this medicine and contact a doctor immediately if you experience fast, irregular heartbeat or fainting, which can be signs of a life-threatening condition called Torsades de Pointes.
- Stop taking this medicine and contact a doctor immediately if you experience breathing difficulties, swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat, or severe itchy skin.
- Contact your doctor immediately if you have seizures for the first time or if they become more frequent.
- Contact your doctor immediately if your behavior changes and you feel overly excited or hyperactive.
Use in Elderly Patients
Category C
Suitable for older adults, with specific precautions. Serotonergic. Risk of QT prolongation. A significant adverse effect is low serum sodium level. Increases risk of falls. Consider potential interactions especially with preparations that increase risk of bleeding. (updated 12.2.2024)