Current Approaches to the Pharmacologic Treatment of Anxiety Disorders

Despite their high prevalence, the anxiety disorders are underdiagnosed and undertreated. Benzodiazepines, once the first line of treatment, have been superceded by SSRIs as the treatment of choice. Preclinical studies, however, suggest that CRF antagonists and antagonists of nicotinic,glutamate,5-HT1A,and NK-1 receptors may have potential anxiolytic action. Preliminary data suggest that tiagabine, the only available SGRI, may also be beneficial in the anxiety disorders. Further research on these novel agents in anxiety disorders is needed.