Monotherapy with quetiapine seems to be efficacious in reducing symptoms of generalised anxiety disorder and this effect may be similar to that of antidepressants .
BACKGROUND Anxiety disorders are common and disabling conditions , with a lifetime prevalence of 17 % in the general population .
Due to high rates of treatment resistance , there is interest in new pharmacological treatment options such as second-generation antipsychotics .
OBJECTIVES To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of second-generation antipsychotics as monotherapy or adjunctive treatment for people with anxiety disorders .
Ziprasidone Treatment of Refractory Generalized Anxiety Disorder: A Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind Study
This 8-week , r and omized , double-blind , placebo-controlled , flexible-dose trial assessed the efficacy , safety , and tolerability of ziprasidone in adults with treatment-resistant generalized anxiety disorder ( GAD ) . Seventy-three subjects with treatment-resistant GAD were recruited , and 62 were r and omized to either ziprasidone or placebo treatment at a ratio of 2:1 using a flexible dosing strategy ( 20 - 80 mg daily ) . R and omization was stratified into 2 subtypes of patients , those in whom the study drug was used as augmentation and those who have stopped their ineffective medications before entering the present trial ( nonaugmented group ) . The subjects ' clinical status was monitored weekly throughout the course of the study and included the Hamilton Anxiety Scale ( primary outcome measure ) , the Clinical Global Impression Improvement and Severity of Illness scales , the Hamilton Depression Scale , the Sheehan Disability Scale , the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale , and the Abnormal Involuntary Movements Scale .  Sixty-two patients were r and omized to ziprasidone ( n = 41 ) or placebo ( n = 21 ) . The dropout rate was 24 % , consisting of 2 placebo patients and 13 ziprasidone patients . There was no statistically significant difference in the Hamilton Anxiety Scale score reduction between the drug and placebo groups . However , statistical trends were observed for an augmentation- study medication interaction effect , with ziprasidone patients producing more improvement in the nonaugmented than in the augmented group . This study provides pilot data for an augmentation- study medication interaction effect with ziprasidone patients producing more improvement in the nonaugmented than in the augmented group . Based on the data obtained in this trial and the subsequent power analyses , a future double-blind placebo-controlled trial should include at least 150 treatment-resistant GAD nonaugmented patients r and omized to ziprasidone and placebo in a 1:1 ratio
Monotherapy with quetiapine seems to be efficacious in reducing symptoms of generalised anxiety disorder and this effect may be similar to that of antidepressants .
BACKGROUND Anxiety disorders are common and disabling conditions , with a lifetime prevalence of 17 % in the general population .
Due to high rates of treatment resistance , there is interest in new pharmacological treatment options such as second-generation antipsychotics .
OBJECTIVES To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of second-generation antipsychotics as monotherapy or adjunctive treatment for people with anxiety disorders .