Anxiety

Anxiety states may manifest themselves in a variety of ways from a general sense of uneasiness to acute panic attacks. The symptoms may also vary widely, from a minor physical disturbance such as dryness of the mouth and sweating of the hands and ‘butterflies in the stomach’ to breathlessness, hyperventilation and lightheadedness. Emotional stress often precipitates anxiety, and drug treatment is useful when the cause of the stress is ill-defined or cannot be removed. Such treatment should always be regarded as a short-term measure, as the prolonged use of anxiolytics involves the risks of dependence and the problems of eventual withdrawal. For such short-term treatment of severe anxiety, a benzodiazepine such as diazepam is often the drug of choice, but other drugs such as buspirone are also in use. Some of the potent antipsychotic agents are also given in small doses for the relief of anxiety. The beta-blockers are occasionally useful in controlling some of the symptoms of anxiety, when the possibility of stress can be anticipated, as in public speaking or performance.

Approved name    Brand name         Daily dose range
alprazolam                Xanax                       750-1500.Lig
bromazepam             Lexotan                    3-18 mg
ch lord iazepoxide    Librium                     30-100 mg
clorazepate               Tranxene                    7.5-22.5 mg
diazepam                  Atensine, Valium       5-30 mg
lorazepam                 Ativan                       2.5-10 mg

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