From the FDA Drug Label
- 3 Pharmacokinetics ... Biotransformation of escitalopram is mainly hepatic, with a mean terminal half-life of about 27-32 hours. The half-life of Lexapro (escitalopram) is approximately 27-32 hours 1.
From the Research
The half-life of Lexapro (escitalopram) is approximately 27-33 hours in adults, as reported in the most recent and highest quality study 2. This means it takes about 27-33 hours for half of the medication to be eliminated from your body after taking it. Due to this relatively long half-life, Lexapro is typically prescribed as a once-daily medication, allowing stable blood levels to be maintained with just one dose per day. For elderly patients, the half-life may be slightly longer, but according to 2, adolescents, elderly individuals and patients with hepatic impairment do not have clinically relevant differences in pharmacokinetics compared with healthy young adults. The extended half-life of Lexapro is important clinically because it helps minimize withdrawal symptoms if a dose is missed and contributes to the medication's steady therapeutic effect. It also means that when discontinuing Lexapro, it should generally be tapered gradually rather than stopped abruptly to avoid discontinuation symptoms, as it takes about 5-6 days (5-6 half-lives) for the drug to be almost completely eliminated from the body. Other studies, such as 3, 4, 5, and 6, provide additional information on the efficacy and tolerability of escitalopram, but they do not change the fact that the half-life of Lexapro is approximately 27-33 hours. Key points to consider when prescribing Lexapro include:
- Once-daily dosing due to its long half-life
- Stable blood levels throughout the day
- Minimized withdrawal symptoms if a dose is missed
- Gradual tapering when discontinuing the medication
- No significant differences in pharmacokinetics among different age groups or patients with hepatic impairment.