Escitalopram

Thanks for your query! I generally recommend my patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) be treated with cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) consisting of exposure and response prevention, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) medication, or both. I try to personalize treatment for every individual keeping in mind their individual side effect profile. Within SSRI antidepressants, my general order of preference is fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, sertraline, paroxetine, citalopram, and escitalopram. My second line is Clomipramine: A tricyclic antidepressant (TCA) that inhibits the reuptake of serotonin and norepinephrine. My third line of treatment is Venlafaxine: a serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) antidepressant. Least evidence till date for it. The goal would be to maximize serotonin in the brain to salve the anxiety provoking obsessions with resulting incessant compulsions while minimizing the side effects and maximizing the quality of life.