Effexor XR 37.5mg

Forms and dosages

Effexor XR is supplied as hard gelatin capsules: grey/peach (37.5mg), peach (75mg) and dark orange (150mg). The usual adult starting dose for major depression and generalised anxiety is 75mg once daily, taken with food at roughly the same time each day; some patients begin at 37.5mg for 4 to 7 days to limit early nausea. The dose may be increased in steps of up to 75mg at intervals of at least 4 days, to a maximum of 225mg per day in outpatients. For panic disorder the label recommends 37.5mg for the first week, then 75mg. Capsules must be swallowed whole with liquid and never crushed or chewed; according to the prescribing information, they may be opened and the pellets sprinkled on a spoonful of applesauce and swallowed immediately.

Indications

Effexor XR is approved in adults for major depressive disorder, generalised anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder and panic disorder with or without agoraphobia. It is often considered after an inadequate response to an SSRI, or when a stronger antidepressant effect is wanted in more severe episodes, since the noradrenergic component adds a second mechanism at higher doses. Off-label uses supported by clinical evidence include menopausal hot flashes, neuropathic pain and PTSD. According to clinical guidelines, treatment should be started by a doctor familiar with psychiatric prescribing, with attention to suicidality risk in young adults, baseline blood pressure and interactions with MAOIs and other serotonergic drugs.