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 .
Randomized, placebo-controlled trial of risperidone for acute treatment of bipolar anxiety.
BACKGROUND The treatment of bipolar disorder is often complicated by the presence of a co-occuring anxiety disorder . Although second generation antipsychotics are being used with increasing frequency in bipolar patients , their anxiolytic effects have not been well studied in this population . METHODS The anxiolytic effect of risperidone 0.5 - 4 mg/day was tested in an 8-week , double-blind , placebo-controlled , r and omized clinical trial in 111 patients with bipolar disorder and a co-occuring panic disorder or generalized anxiety disorder ( GAD ) . The primary outcome measure was the Clinician Global Improvement-21 Anxiety scale ( CGI-21 Anxiety ) . Secondary measures included the Hamilton Anxiety Scale ( HAM-A ) and the Sheehan Panic Disorder Scale . RESULTS On the last-observation-carried forward analysis of repeated measures analysis of variance ( ANOVA ) , risperidone was not more effective than placebo for the CGI-21 Anxiety score or the other anxiety outcome measures .  Risperidone was well tolerated , with only two patients withdrawing because of adverse events . LIMITATIONS The  risperidone treated group had more patients with mixed states and lifetime panic disorder at r and omization than the placebo group . The study was limited to 8 weeks and to individuals with bipolar and comorbid panic disorder or GAD . The results may not be applicable to risperidone as an add-on treatment to mood stabilizers , or to bipolar disorder comorbid with anxiety disorders other than panic disorder or GAD . CONCLUSIONS Risperidone monotherapy was not an effective anxiolytic for bipolar patients with comorbid panic disorder or GAD in doses of 0.5 - 4 mg/day over 8 weeks of treatment . The efficacy of other second generation antipsychotics and mood stabilizers on anxiety in patients with bipolar disorder and a co-occuring anxiety disorder should be investigated in double-blind , placebo-controlled studies
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 .