Paxil (Paroxetine)
What is Paxil?
Paxil is an
antidepressant used in the patients suffering from major depression, OCD
(obsessive-compulsive disorder), panic disorder, social anxiety and other
conditions as prescribed by the supervising physician. This drug belongs to the
class of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) antidepressants. The
history of the drug goes back to 1992 when the approach to formulating the
energizers was revised and more attention started to be paid to decreasing the
toxicity of the drug.
Drug description
Paxil belongs to the SSRI antidepressants. Thus, its mechanisms are based on selective absorption of serotonin blocking the presynaptic membrane of the brain cells. The result is that the concentration of this neurotransmitter in the synaptic cleft is greatly enhanced, which in its turn has a pronounced antidepressant effect.
At the same time, the substance which forms the basis of the drug (paroxetine)
does not interfere with the cardiovascular system, has no inhibitory action on
the central nervous system and does not affect psychomotor functions. The
medicine does not cause changes in either blood pressure or heart rate and the
electrical activity of the brain (provided that the receiving medication the
patient has no health problems with the above-mentioned systems). The agent is
not able to induce sleep when taken in the morning. Contrarily, with regular
admission of the drug the quality of sleeping improves considerably.
How to use Paxil?
Paxil is a drug for oral administration. Take one pill in the morning swallowing the whole tablet with water. For depression states, the drug is prescribed in the amount of 20mg 1 time a day. If necessary, a gradual increase in dose of 10mg / day is introduced, with an interval of at least 1 week, a and the maximal daily dose of 50mg. The medication is administered for a long course of treatment with the efficacy of the drug assessed after 6-8 weeks. In the case of renal and/or liver failure, in elderly and debilitated patients an initial daily dose constitutes 10mg, with the maximal daily dose of 40mg.
In patients with the obsessive-compulsive disorder, the average therapeutic dose
of Paxil is 40mg / day, in some cases - 60mg / day. For the patients with the
panic disorder the initial dose is 10mg / day (to reduce the possible risk of
exacerbation of panic symptoms), followed by weekly increases of 10mg. The
average therapeutic dose in such cases is 40mg / day. The maximal dose reaches
60mg / day.
Safety Precautions
Paxil should not be taken simultaneously with the use of MAO inhibitors. The time elapsed between the application of paroxetine and MAO should be at least 2 weeks. The simultaneous use of thioridazine is also prohibited. In addition, you should pay attention to individual sensitivity to the components of the antidepressant (if you are sensitive to any of them you should inform your practitioner and reconsider the therapy).
The drug withdrawal should be gradual. Reduce the dosage by 10mg weekly until the amount of the drug reaches 20mg / day for adults and 10mg / day for children. After that, you should take this remedy during one week before discontinuing the use of the drug. If the symptoms of withdrawal become bothersome, go back to receiving the initial dose, then to try a slower rate of reduction of the dosage.