Anxiety Disease

Table of Contents

Introduction1

Discussion1

Risk Factors1

Signs and Symptoms/Clinical Presentation2

Physical indicators2

Cognitive indicators2

Types of Drugs2

Benzodiazepines2

The most common medical indications5

Medical use6

Main effects of benzodiazepines6

The absorption of a therapeutic dose of benzodiazepine6

Dependence and Tolerance7

Side Effects8

Habit9

Weaning9

Conclusion9

Anxiety Disorder

Introduction

Anxiety disorder (AD) is characterized by excessive worry and anxieties that are difficult to control, cause significant distress and impairment, and occur on more days than not for at least six months. Anxiety disorder (AD) is a relatively common disorder, most often with onset during adulthood and a chronic course. AD can lead to significant impairments in role functioning, diminished quality of life, and high health care costs. The disorder can be effectively treated with medication, psychotherapy, or a combination of the two modalities. The assignment will address Drugs Therapy for AD. One-year prevalence of AD in the United States is 3-5%, while lifetime prevalence is 5-7%. Worldwide prevalence of AD may be as high as 15%. Women are affected twice as often as men. Mean age of onset is 8-9 years; onset after age 20 is uncommon. More than 90% of persons diagnosed with AD fulfill the diagnostic criteria for at least one other mental health disorder.

Discussion

Risk Factors

Risk factors include female gender, poor coping skills, and family history of mood or anxiety disorders, increased life stressors, poor social support, low socioeconomic status, poor self-esteem, and limited healthcare options. Persons with other mental health disorders and certain medical conditions are also at higher risk. Patients with traumatic brain injuries have twice the risk of developing AD.

Signs and Symptoms/Clinical Presentation

Persons with AD often complain of somatic problems, though frequently without a physiologic basis.

Physical indicators: changes in appetite, nausea, vomiting, trembling, sweaty palms, flushing of the skin, hyperventilation, muscle tension, headaches, rapid or irregular heart rate, dry mouth, dizziness, and agitation

Cognitive indicators: poor coping skills, performance anxiety, irritability or being on 'edge,” hypersensitivity to criticism, difficulty concentrating, and a generalized negative outlook

Types of Drugs

These are some types of drugs medication that used in Anxiety Disorder.

Serotonin

Tricyclic antidepressants 

Benzodiazepines

Buspirone

Pregabalin

Antipsychotic medications

In the following paper we will discuss about the Benzodiazepines.

Benzodiazepines

Benzodiazepines (BZD) embrittlement relieves the acute symptoms of anxiety disorders and benzodiazepine alprazolam can be especially effective in people with anxiety disorders.

People with a strong desire to control their symptoms of anxiety often prefer to take benzodiazepines only when they feel unusually stressed. However, due to the addictive nature of this class of drugs and high risk of physical dependence associated with prolonged use, usually not recommended for use for extended periods and should be administered with care to persons at high risk of addiction.

Adverse effects associated with benzodiazepines include daytime sedation and impaired cognitive (Keller and Hanks, 1995). There is also evidence that some benzodiazepines such as clonazepam, can cause depression.

Benzodiazepines have been found to be efficacious in the treatment of AD, generally leading to a reduction of emotional and somatic symptoms within minutes to hours, depending on the specific medication. However, concerns about risks of dependence and tolerance have contributed to a decline in their use. A large observational study of treatment ...