Sertraline Tablet Strengths
Sertraline tablets are available in 25 mg, 50 mg, and 100 mg strengths. 1
Standard Formulations
The FDA-approved sertraline formulations include:
- 25 mg tablets – Used primarily for initial dosing in pediatric patients (ages 6-12) with OCD, or as a starting "test dose" in adults prone to anxiety or agitation 1, 2
- 50 mg tablets – The standard initial therapeutic dose for most adult indications including major depressive disorder, OCD, panic disorder, PTSD, and social anxiety disorder 1, 3
- 100 mg tablets – Used for dose escalation when patients require higher therapeutic doses 1
Dosing Flexibility
The 25 mg tablets can be split in half to provide a 12.5 mg dose, which facilitates dose flexibility for patients who require a sub-therapeutic starting dose to assess tolerability before titration. 2 This is particularly useful in patients with bipolar disorder or those prone to anxiety, where starting with lower doses minimizes the risk of behavioral activation. 2
Therapeutic Dosing Range
While sertraline tablets come in these three strengths, the therapeutic dosing range across approved indications is 50-200 mg/day, with dose increases made in 50 mg increments at intervals of no less than 1 week, given sertraline's 24-hour elimination half-life. 1, 2 The 50 mg daily dose represents both the starting dose and the optimal therapeutic dose for most patients when considering efficacy and tolerability. 3
Administration Considerations
Sertraline should be administered once daily, either in the morning or evening, though at very low doses (below 50 mg), some patients may require twice-daily dosing due to sertraline's shorter half-life compared to other SSRIs. 1, 2