Major depressive episodes

Indication for Fluoxetine

Population group: Suitable for both men and women, only adults (18 years old or older)
Therapeutic intent: Curative procedure

For this indication, competent medicine agencies globally authorize below treatments:

20 mg once daily for 3-4 weeks and 20-60 mg once daily for 6 months

For: Adults (18-64) Elders (65+)

Dosage regimens

Oral, 20 milligrams, once daily, over the duration of 3 to 4 weeks. Afterwards, oral, between 20 and 60 milligrams, once daily, over the duration of 6 months. The maximum allowed total dose is 60 milligrams daily.

Detailed description

The recommended dose is 20mg daily. Dosage should be reviewed and adjusted if necessary, within 3 to 4 weeks of initiation of therapy and thereafter as judged clinically appropriate. Although there may be an increased potential for undesirable effects at higher doses, in some patients, with insufficient response to 20mg, the dose may be increased gradually up to a maximum of 60mg. Dosage adjustments should be made carefully on an individual patient basis, to maintain the patients at the lowest effective dose.

Patients with depression should be treated for a sufficient period of at least 6 months to ensure that they are free from symptoms.

Elderly patients

Caution is recommended when increasing the dose, and the daily dose should generally not exceed 40mg. Maximum recommended dose is 60mg/day.

Withdrawal symptoms seen on discontinuation of fluoxetine

Abrupt discontinuation should be avoided. When stopping treatment with fluoxetine the dose should be gradually reduced over a period of at least one to two weeks in order to reduce the risk of withdrawal reactions. If intolerable symptoms occur following a decrease in the dose or upon discontinuation of treatment, then resuming the previously prescribed dose may be considered. Subsequently, the physician may continue decreasing the dose, but at a more gradual rate.

Dosage considerations

Fluoxetine may be administered as a single or divided dose, during or between meals.

Active ingredient

Fluoxetine is a selective inhibitor of serotonin reuptake, and this probably accounts for the mechanism of action. Fluoxetine has practically no affinity to other receptors such as α1, α2, and β-adrenergic; serotonergic; dopaminergic; histaminergic1; muscarinic; and GABA receptors.

Read more about Fluoxetine

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