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Paroxetine Hydrochloride

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Indications

Depression Anxiety

Paroxetine Hydrochloride is used to treat Major Depressive Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Panic Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.

⚠️ Always consult a registered physician before taking any medicine.

Pharmacology

Paroxetine is thought to work by increasing serotonin activity in the central nervous system, because it stops nerve cells from taking serotonin (5-hydroxy-tryptamine, 5 HT) back up. Studies in humans at clinically relevant doses show that paroxetine blocks the uptake of serotonin into human platelets. In vitro studies in animals also suggest that it is a potent and highly selective inhibitor of neuronal serotonin reuptake, with only very weak effects on norepinephrine and dopamine neuronal reuptake.

In vitro radioligand binding studies show that paroxetine has little affinity for muscarinic, alpha1, alpha2, beta adrenergic, dopamine (D2), 5-HT1, 5 HT2 and histamine (H1) receptors. This matters because blocking muscarinic, histaminergic and alpha1-adrenergic receptors has been linked to various anticholinergic, sedative and cardiovascular effects with other psychotropic drugs. The major metabolites of paroxetine are at most 1/50 as potent as the parent compound, so they are essentially inactive.

Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Paroxetine should be used during pregnancy only if the possible benefit to the mother justifies the possible risk to the fetus.

Labor and Delivery: What Paroxetine does to labor and delivery in humans is not known.

Nursing Mothers: Paroxetine hydrochloride passes into human milk, as many other drugs do, so caution is needed when it is given to a nursing woman.

⚠️ Talk to your doctor before taking any medicine during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.

Dosage Reference

⚠️ Reference ranges from official sources only. Consult your doctor for personalized dosing.

Adults: Major Depressive Disorder Usual initial dosage: Paroxetine (paroxetine hydrochloride) is given as a single daily dose, with or without food, usually in the morning. The recommended starting dose is 20 mg/day. Some patients who don't respond to 20 mg may benefit from increases in steps of 10 mg/day, up to a maximum of 50 mg/day. Dose changes should be made at intervals of at least 1 week. Maintenance therapy: Systematic evaluation of paroxetine hydrochloride has shown that its efficacy is maintained for up to 1 year with doses that averaged about 30 mg. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Usual initial dosage: Paroxetine is given as a single daily dose, with or without food, usually in the morning. For OCD the recommended dose is 40 mg daily. Patients should start on 20 mg/day, and the dose can then be raised in steps of 10 mg/day. Dose changes should be made at intervals of at least 1 week. Maintenance therapy: The dose should be adjusted to keep the patient on the lowest effective dosage, and patients should be reassessed from time to time to decide whether treatment needs to continue. Panic Disorder Usual initial dosage: Paroxetine is given as a single daily dose, with or without food, usually in the morning. The target dose for panic disorder is 40 mg/day. Patients should start on 10 mg/day. Dose changes should be made in steps of 10 mg/day, at intervals of at least 1 week. The maximum dosage should not exceed 60 mg/day. Maintenance therapy: The dose should be adjusted to keep the patient on the lowest effective dosage, and patients should be reassessed from time to time to decide whether treatment needs to continue. Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) Usual initial dosage: Paroxetine is given as a single daily dose, with or without food, usually in the morning. The recommended starting dosage is 20 mg/day. Maintenance therapy: The dose should be adjusted to keep the patient on the lowest effective dosage, and patients should be reassessed from time to time to decide whether treatment needs to continue. Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) Usual initial dosage: Paroxetine is given as a single daily dose, with or without food, usually in the morning. The recommended starting dosage, which is also the established effective dosage, is 20 mg/day. Maintenance therapy: The dose should be adjusted to keep the patient on the lowest effective dosage, and patients should be reassessed from time to time to decide whether treatment needs to continue. Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Usual initial dosage: Paroxetine is given as a single daily dose, with or without food, usually in the morning. The recommended starting dosage, which is also the established effective dosage, is 20 mg/day. If a change is needed, it should be made in steps of 10 mg/day, at intervals of at least 1 week. Maintenance therapy: The dose should be adjusted to keep the patient on the lowest effective dosage, and patients should be reassessed from time to time to decide whether treatment needs to continue.

Side Effects & Interactions

Side Effects

No side-effect data recorded yet.