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 .
Olanzapine Augmentation of Fluoxetine for Refractory Generalized Anxiety Disorder: A Placebo Controlled Study
BACKGROUND There has been little systematic study of " next-step " interventions for patients with generalized anxiety disorder ( GAD ) who remain symptomatic despite initial pharmacotherapy . We present one of the first r and omized controlled trials for refractory GAD , comprising double blind augmentation with olanzapine or placebo for patients remaining symptomatic on fluoxetine . METHODS Patients remaining symptomatic after 6 weeks of fluoxetine ( 20 mg/day ) were r and omized to 6 weeks of olanzapine ( mean dose 8.7 + /- 7.1 mg/day ) or placebo augmentation . RESULTS Twenty-four of 46 fluoxetine-treated patients were r and omized . Olanzapine result ed in a greater proportion of treatment responders based on a Clinical Global Impression-Severity Scale ( CGI-S ) end point score of 1 or 2 ( Fisher 's exact test [ FET ] p < .05 ) or a 50 % reduction in Hamilton Anxiety Scale ( HAMA-A ) score ( FET p < .05 ) . There were no other statistically significant differences for olanzapine compared with placebo augmentation in outcome measures , though rates of remission ( HAM-A < or= 7 ) on olanzapine were higher at the level of a trend ( FET , p = .1 ) . Average weight gain for completers was greater with olanzapine than placebo augmentation ( 11.0 + /- 5.1 vs. -0.7 + /- 2.4 pounds : t = 6.32 , p < .001 ) . CONCLUSIONS Olanzapine may have a salutary effect on anxiety for some GAD patients remaining symptomatic despite initial serotonin selective reuptake inhibitor ( SSRI ) therapy , but the emergence of significant weight gain represents an important clinical consideration
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 .