What the FDA labels say about taking them together
Escitalopram and lithium
Escitalopram's FDA label of October 1, 2023 names lithium in its drug interactions section; lithium's label does not name escitalopram itself but warns about its class (serotonin reuptake inhibitors). The escitalopram label: “Concomitant use of Lexapro and other serotonergic drugs increases the risk of serotonin syndrome.”
Check it at the source: the escitalopram FDA label on DailyMed (effective October 1, 2023, Allergan, Inc.); the lithium FDA label on DailyMed (effective December 23, 2025, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Inc., USA).
What does the escitalopram label say about lithium?
Escitalopram label, drug interactionsOther Serotonergic Drugs Clinical Impact: Concomitant use of Lexapro and other serotonergic drugs (…) increases the risk of serotonin syndrome. Intervention: Monitor patients for signs and symptoms of serotonin syndrome, particularly during Lexapro initiation and dosage increases. If serotonin syndrome occurs, consider discontinuation of Lexapro and/or concomitant serotonergic drugs [see Warning and Precautions ()].
Escitalopram label, warnings and precautionsThe risk is increased with concomitant use of other serotonergic drugs (including triptans, tricyclic antidepressants, fentanyl, meperidine, methadone, lithium, tramadol, tryptophan, buspirone, amphetamines, and St. John’s Wort) and with drugs that impair metabolism of serotonin, i.e., MAOIs [see Contraindications ( 4 ) and Drug Interactions ( 7 )].
Escitalopram label (Almatica Pharma LLC, August 31, 2025), drug interactionsMechanism and Clinical Effect (s); Concomitant use of Escitalopram Capsules and other serotonergic drugs (including other SSRIs, SNRIs, triptans, tricyclic antidepressants, opioids, lithium, buspirone, amphetamines, tryptophan, and St. John's Wort) increases the risk of serotonin syndrome.
Source: FDA drug label (Escitalopram, NDA219130), Almatica Pharma LLC, effective August 31, 2025 (SPL set c0401570-a3b0-bef2-7365-c23dc952b8b6), via openFDA
Source: FDA drug label (Lexapro), NDA021323 (Abbvie), as published by Allergan, Inc., effective October 1, 2023 (SPL set 13bb8267-1cab-43e5-acae-55a4d957630a), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
What does the lithium label say about escitalopram?
Lithium's label does not name escitalopram itself; it warns about its class (serotonin reuptake inhibitors):
Lithium label, warnings and precautionsThe risk is increased with concomitant use of other serotonergic drugs (including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, triptans, tricyclic antidepressants, fentanyl, tramadol, tryptophan, buspirone, and St. John’s Wort) and with drugs that impair metabolism of serotonin, i.e., MAOIs [see Drug Interactions ( 7.1 )].
Source: FDA drug label (Lithium Carbonate), Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Inc., USA, effective December 23, 2025 (SPL set 63b3790f-a9b5-47f4-bae1-ddf8b43c13c1), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
These are the labels' own sentences. PlainMeds does not grade interactions; a pharmacist or prescriber can say what they mean for one person's medicines.
Both medicines on the record
| Escitalopram | Lithium | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Depression, Anxiety | Bipolar disorder |
| Boxed warning | Yes | Yes |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC) | $0.0632 per tablet 20 mg tablet | $0.104 per capsule 300 mg capsule |
| Shortage now | No current entry | No current entry |
Source: FDA NDC Directory, CMS NADAC of October 7, 2026 and the FDA Drug Shortage Database (FDA files October 8, 2026)
What next?
- Check more medicines together
- up to five at once