Treatment and Effectiveness of the Medication in Generalized Anxiety Disorder in Primary Health Care

Abstract

Introduction

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a neurological anxiety disorder, characterized by excessive, uncontrollable and often irrational worry and its symptoms must last at least six months. This excessive worry often interferes with daily functioning, as individuals suffering GAD typically anticipate disaster.

Purpose

According to researches the 80% of the patients, suffering from GAD, is treated by the primary health care with venzodiazepines. The research was to study the response of patients with GAD to escitalopram, paroxetine and alprazolam.

Material: In the research conducted from the 1st of January to the 31st of December 2012, it has been used material from the outpatient clinic of the Psychiatric Hospital of Corfu and analyzed the medical records and the medications of 36 patients with GAD.

Methodology

The measurement of the efficacy of the medication was performed with the use of scale HAM-A for a period of 8 weeks for every patient and there have been studied the side effects of the taken medication.

Results

During the research it was proved that the 3 above drastic substances are efficative in the remedy of the GAD and esitalopram slightly outweighs in the scale HAM-A, having lower side effects in comparison to paroxetine.

Conclusions

If we consider the dependence and the tolerance that is developed with the continuous use of venzodiazepines and the chronicity of the disease as well the cost price of the remedy by today's standards, it is suggested a change in the medication from venzodiazepine to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.