Anxiety Disorders Helped by Antipsychotics

A recent data review revealed that theantipsychotic drug trifluoperazine is welltoleratedand more effective than placebofor the short-term treatment of generalizedanxiety disorder. Researchers fromthe University Hospitals of Cleveland/Case Western Reserve University conductedthe review to determine howeffective an antipsychotic drug would bein treating anxiety. Researchers looked atstudies of bipolar disorder and majordepressive disorders that included anxiety-related changes. Keming Gao, MD, PhD, of the review team said, "We foundthat, in a well-designed study, low dosesof trifluoperazine?were well-toleratedand superior to placebo. In less welldesignedstudies, other?antipsychoticsappeared to be superior to placebo andmight be as effective as sedative drugs inthe short-term treatment of generalizedanxiety disorders." Results also showedthat, when compared with placebo, theantipsychotics olanzapine and quetiapinesignificantly reduced symptoms ofanxiety in patients with bipolar disorder.