Azapirones may be less effective than benzodiazepines and we were unable to conclude if azapirones were superior to antidepressants , kava kava or psychotherapy .
Azapirones appeared to be well tolerated .
Azapirones appeared to be useful in the treatment of GAD , particularly for those participants who had not been on a benzodiazepine .
Azapirones may not be superior to benzodiazepines and do not appear as acceptable as benzodiazepines .
Side effects appeared mild and non serious in the azapirone treated group .
Longer term studies are needed to show that azapirones are effective in treating GAD , which is a chronic long-term illness
BACKGROUND Azapirones are a group of drugs that work at the 5-HT1A receptor and are used to treat patients suffering from generalized anxiety disorder ( GAD ) .
However , several studies have shown conflicting results .
Whether azapirones are useful as first line treatment in general anxiety disorders still needs to be answered .
OBJECTIVES To assess the efficacy and the acceptability of azapirones for the treatment of GAD .
Analysis of individual symptoms in generalized anxiety--a pooled, multistudy, double-blind evaluation of buspirone.
Pooled data for 427 patients with generalized anxiety disorders were analyzed retrospectively from six double-blind trials evaluating buspirone , a nonbenzodiazepine anxiolytic , in the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder . After a 4- to 7-day washout period , patients were allocated at r and om to receive treatment over a 4-week period . Buspirone dose ranged from 10 to 60 mg . Patients were assessed on entry and at weekly intervals using the 14 symptom groups ( items ) of the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale ( HAM-A ) .  Buspirone improved all symptom groups significantly ; onset of anxiolytic activity was observed at week 1 in 3 groups of psychic symptoms of anxiety . Within 2 weeks , 8 of the 14 symptom groups were improved significantly by buspirone versus placebo , and symptoms of anxiety improved further up to the 4-week end point . Psychic symptoms of anxiety improved earlier in general than the somatic symptoms of anxiety . At the end of treatment , analyses of the HAM-A scores indicated that all of the 14 symptom groups ( individual items ) , the total HAM-A score , and the 2 composite Psychic and Somatic Anxiety Factors were significantly improved with buspirone as compared to placebo . The beneficial effects of buspirone were not compromised by any significant side effects
Azapirones may be less effective than benzodiazepines and we were unable to conclude if azapirones were superior to antidepressants , kava kava or psychotherapy .
Azapirones appeared to be well tolerated .
Azapirones appeared to be useful in the treatment of GAD , particularly for those participants who had not been on a benzodiazepine .
Azapirones may not be superior to benzodiazepines and do not appear as acceptable as benzodiazepines .
Side effects appeared mild and non serious in the azapirone treated group .
Longer term studies are needed to show that azapirones are effective in treating GAD , which is a chronic long-term illness
BACKGROUND Azapirones are a group of drugs that work at the 5-HT1A receptor and are used to treat patients suffering from generalized anxiety disorder ( GAD ) .
However , several studies have shown conflicting results .
Whether azapirones are useful as first line treatment in general anxiety disorders still needs to be answered .
OBJECTIVES To assess the efficacy and the acceptability of azapirones for the treatment of GAD .