text: Escitalopram, sold under the brand names Lexapro and Cipralex, among others, is an antidepressant of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) class. Escitalopram is mainly used to treat major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder. It is taken by mouth, available commercially as an oxalate salt exclusively.
  Common side effects include trouble sleeping, nausea, sexual problems, and feeling tired. More serious side effects may include suicidal thoughts in people up to the age of 24 years. It is unclear if use during pregnancy or breastfeeding is safe. Escitalopram is the (S)-enantiomer of citalopram (which exists as a racemate), hence the name es-citalopram.
  Escitalopram was approved for medical use in the United States in 2002. Escitalopram is rarely replaced by twice the dose of citalopram, though escitalopram is safer and more effective. It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines. In 2021, it was the fifteenth most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 30million prescriptions.