Psychiatry

Answer 5 Venlafaxine. Venlafaxine is a serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor that has been shown to be effective for GAD in several clinical trials.4 Treatment should not be delayed until symptoms persist for 12 months because GAD is usually chronic and disabling.4 Imipramine is effective for treatment of GAD but is not used as a first-line intervention because of adverse side effects (eg, dry mouth, orthostatic hypotension, arrhythmias). ßAdrenergic antagonists are effective for situational anxieties, such as performance anxiety, but are not typically used for generalized anxiety.2 Bupropion is not indicated for GAD. REFERENCE 2. Sadock BJ, Sadock VA. Anxiety disorders. In: Synopsis of psychiatry. 9th ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2003:591-642. 4. Allgulander C, Bandelow B, Hollander E, et al. WCA recommendations for the long-term treatment of generalized anxiety disorder. CNS Spectr 2003;8(Suppl 1):53-61. Click here to return to the questions

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