Comparing and Contrasting Pharmacologic Options for the Treatment of Generalized Anxiety Disorder Essay
Comparing and Contrasting Pharmacologic Options for the Treatment of Generalized Anxiety Disorder Essay
Comparing and Contrasting Pharmacologic Options for the Treatment of Generalized Anxiety Disorder Essay
Comparing and Contrasting Pharmacologic Options for the Treatment of Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is an ongoing condition of excessive anxiety that affects daily activities. The condition is characterized by psychological and physical symptoms such as fear, dread, uneasiness, apprehension, tachycardia, fatigue, and palpitations (Rosenthal & Burchum, 2021). Treatment of GAD includes medication and counseling. There are various medication options for treating GAD, and the treatment choice for a particular patient may depend on their pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and other individual patient factors. This discussion presents the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics related to anxiolytic medications used to treat generalized anxiety disorders and compares the different treatment options available.
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Different anxiolytic medications are used to treat GAD. According to Rosenthal and Burchum (2021), the most used anxiolytics for the treatment of GAD are benzodiazepines and Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs). An example of benzodiazepine is clonazepam, and an example of an SSRI used to treat GAD is paroxetine. Buspirone is one of the most effective treatment options for GAD. According to Wilson and Tripp (2023), buspirone is an anxiolytic used for the short-term relief of anxiety symptoms. Paroxetine is also FDA-approved and used for treating GAD. Even though the two medications are similar in their effectiveness in GAD treatment, they differ in several ways.
Buspirone is a fast-acting anxiolytic that is rapidly absorbed, with an onset of 2-3 hours (Wilson & Tripp, 2023). In contrast, paroxetine is slow acting medication in treating GAD, thus less well tolerated (Rosenthal & Burchum, 2021). Even though the anxiolytic effects of buspirone develop slowly, it is not very effective for decreasing GAD somatic symptoms compared to paroxetine. Additionally, paroxetine acts by blocking the serotonin reuptake transporter, thus increasing the concentration of synaptic (Dutt et al., 2020), while buspirone acts as a partial antagonist to increase the serotonergic activity in the amygdala and other parts of the brain’s anxiety/fear circuitry (Wilson & Tripp, 2023). Buspirone is also a good option for GAD patients requiring long-term therapy due to its delayed therapeutic effects, while paroxetine is best for patients requiring immediate symptom relief. In addition, buspirone lacks abuse potential and has low withdrawal effects compared to paroxetine which also has side effects such as dizziness and confusion.
There are various medications recommended and approved by the FDA for treating GAD. Different medications differ in their mechanisms of action, side and adverse effects, and pharmacodynamics. Therefore, it is essential to consider the differences and select the medication that best suits a GAD patient, depending on their symptoms and individual factors. Buspirone and paroxetine are among the best medication options for treating GAD.
References
Dutt, R., Shankar, N., Srivastava, S., Yadav, A., & Ahmed, R. S. (2020). Cardiac autonomic tone, plasma BDNF levels and paroxetine response in newly diagnosed patients of generalized anxiety disorder. International Journal of Psychiatry in Clinical Practice, 24(2), 135-142. https://doi.org/10.1080/13651501.2020.1723642
Rosenthal, L. D., & Burchum, J. R. (2021). Lehne’s pharmacotherapeutics for advanced practice nurses and physician assistants (2nd ed.) St. Louis, MO: Elsevier.
Wilson, T. K., & Tripp, J. (2023). Buspirone. In: StatPearls [Internet]. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK531477/
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COMPARING AND CONTRASTING PHARMACOLOGIC OPTIONS FOR THE TREATMENT OF GENERALIZED ANXIETY DISORDER
Psychological disorders, such as depression, bipolar, and anxiety disorders can present several complications for patients of all ages. These disorders affect patients physically and emotionally, potentially impacting judgment, school and/or job performance, and relationships with family and friends. Since these disorders have many drastic effects on patients’ lives, it is important for advanced practice nurses to effectively manage patient care. With patient factors and medical history in mind, it is the advanced practice nurse’s responsibility to ensure the safe and effective diagnosis, treatment, and education of patients with psychological disorders.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder is a psychological condition that affects 6.1 million Americans, or 3.1% of the US Population. Despite several treatment options, only 43.2% of those suffering from GAD receive treatment. This week you will review several different classes of medication used in the treatment of Generalized Anxiety Disorder. You will examine potential impacts of pharmacotherapeutics used in the treatment of GAD. Please focus your assignment on FDA approved indications when referring to different medication classes used in the treatment of GAD.
To Prepare:
- Review the Resources for this module and consider the principles of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics.
- Reflect on your experiences, observations, and/or clinical practices from the last 5 years and think about how pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic factors altered his or her anticipated response to a drug.
- Consider factors that might have influenced the patient’s pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes, such as genetics (including pharmacogenetics), gender, ethnicity, age, behavior, and/or possible pathophysiological changes due to disease.
- Think about a personalized plan of care based on these influencing factors and patient history with GAD.
Post a discussion of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics related to anxiolytic medications used to treat GAD. In your discussion, utilizing the discussion highlights, compare and contrast different treatment options that can be used.
