Guidelines for the pharmacological treatment of anxiety disorders, obsessive–compulsive disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder in primary care
International Journal of Psychiatry in Clinical Practice, 2012; 16: 77–84
REVIEW ARTICLE Guidelines for the pharmacological treatment of anxiety disorders, obsessive – compulsive disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder in primary care
BORWIN BANDELOW 1 , LEO SHER 2 , ROBERTAS BUNEVICIUS 3 , ERIC HOLLANDER 2 , SIEGFRIED KASPER 4 , JOSEPH ZOHAR 5 , HANS-J Ü RGEN M Ö LLER 6 , WFSBP TASK FORCE ON MENTAL DISORDERS IN PRIMARY CARE a AND WFSBP TASK FORCE ON ANXIETY DISORDERS , OCD AND PTSD b
1 Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of G ö ttingen, G ö ttingen, Germany, 2 Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefi ore Medical Center, New York City, NY, USA, 3 Institute of Psychophysiology and Rehabilitation, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Palanga, Lithuania, 4 Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria, 5 Division of Psychiatry, Chaim-Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Ramat Gan, Israel, and 6 Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich, Germany Abstract Objective. Anxiety disorders are frequently under-diagnosed conditions in primary care, although they can be managed effectively by general practitioners. Methods. This paper is a short and practical summary of the World Federation of
Biological Psychiatry (WFSBP) guidelines for the pharmacological treatment of anxiety disorders, obsessive – compulsive disorder (OCD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for the treatment in primary care. The recommendations were
developed by a task force of 30 international experts in the fi eld and are based on randomized controlled studies. Results. First-line pharmacological treatments for these disorders are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (for all disor-ders), serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (for some) and pregabalin (for generalized anxiety disorder only). A combination of medication and cognitive behavior/exposure therapy was shown to be a clinically desired treatment strategy. Conclusions. This short version of an evidence-based guideline may improve treatment of anxiety disorders, OCD, and PTSD in primary care.
Key Words: Anxiety disorders , guidelines , panic disorder , generalized anxiety disorder , social anxiety disorder , pharmacological treatment
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Introduction
diagnostic guidelines for the mental disorders in primary care. This publication is a complementary
Anxiety disorders are frequently under-diagnosed
tool – a brief and user friendly diagnostic guideline,
conditions in primary care, although they can be
developed for general practitioners. It is a short
managed effectively by general practitioners. The
and practical summary of the WFSBP guidelines
World Health Organization (WHO) and American
Psychiatric Association (APA) developed specifi c
disorder (OCD) and posttraumatic stress disorder
a Chair: Robertas Bunevicius (Lithuania), Co-Chair: Siegfried Kasper (Austria), Secretary: Florence Thibaut (France), Members: Wioletta Baranska-Rybak (Poland), Wieclaw J. Cubala (Poland), David Fiellin (USA), Henry R. Kranzler (USA), Alison Moore (USA), Elmars Rankans (Latvia), Jill Rasmussen (UK), Richard Saitz (USA), Djea Saravane (France), Thomas E. Schlaepfer (Germany), Leo Sher (USA), S.W. Tang (Hong Kong), Leonas Valius (Lithuania), David Wong (Hong Kong), Larisa M Zhitnikova (Russia), Joseph Zohar (Israel). b Chair: Joseph Zohar (Israel); Co-Chairs: Eric Hollander (USA), Siegfried Kasper (Austria), Hans-Jurgen Moller (Germany); Secretary: Borwin Bandelow (Germany); Members: C. Allgulander, J. Ayuso-Gutierrez, D. Baldwin, R. Bunevicius, G. Cassano, N. Fineberg, L. Gabriels, I. Hindmarch, H. Kaiya, D.F. Klein, M. Lader, Y. Lecrubier, J.P. Lepine, M.R. Liebowitz, J.J. Lopez-Ibor, D. Marazitti, E.C. Miguel, K.S. Oh, M. Preter, R. Rupprecht, M. Sato, V. Starcevic, D.J. Stein, M. van Ameringen, J. Vega. Correspondence: Borwin Bandelow, Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of G
ö ttingen, von-Siebold-Str. 5, D-37075 G
Borwin.Bandelow@medizin.uni-goettingen.de
(Received 12 August 2011 ; accepted 5 January 2012 )
ISSN 1365-1501 print/ISSN 1471-1788 online 2012 Informa HealthcareDOI: 10.3109/13651501.2012.667114
(PTSD) [1], aiming at providing information about
Treatment is indicated in the majority of patients
how to use modern medications for managing anx-
who fulfi ll the WHO International Classifi cation of
iety disorders in a busy primary care setting.
Diseases (ICD-10) or APA Diagnostic and Statistical
Although the lifetime prevalence of anxiety dis-
Manual (DSM-IV-TR) criteria for an anxiety disor-
orders has remained stable over the last decade –
der, OCD or PTSD (Table II). The treatment plan
about 29% – the rate of treatment increased, along
is based on the patient ’ s preference, severity of ill-
with the increased awareness about anxiety disor-
ness, co-morbidity, concomitant medical illnesses,
ders, and the desire to improve quality of life.
complications like substance abuse or suicide risk,
Patients with anxiety disorders are frequent users
the history of previous treatments, cost issues and
of emergency and primary medical services and are
availability of types of treatment in a given area.
at a high risk for suicide attempts and substance
Treatment options include drug treatment and psy-
chological therapy. Before drug treatment is initiated,
The current conceptualization of anxiety disor-
it is strongly recommended that the mechanisms
ders includes an interaction of a specifi c neurobio-
underlying psychic and somatic anxiety be explained
logical vulnerability (genetic, childhood adversity)
to the patient (brochures that explain the typical fea-
and environmental factors (stress, trauma). Anxiety
tures of the patient’s condition, treatment options,
disorders are associated with dysfunction of sero-
and adverse drug effects might be useful). Compli-
tonin, norepinephrine and other neurotransmitter
ance with drug treatment can be improved when
the advantages and disadvantages of the drugs are explained carefully.
Treatment should continue for at least 6
Treatment
months after remission has occurred, in order to reduce the risk of relapse, and may be stopped only
The WFSBP Task Force conducted a computer-
if all, or almost all, symptoms disappear.
based literature research in order to identify all rel-evant studies showing superiority to placebo and superiority or equivalent effi cacy compared with
Drug treatment: available compounds
established comparator treatments. The studies had to fulfi ll certain quality requirements. The categories
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs),
of evidence are shown in Table I and are based on a
serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors
systematic analysis of 510 randomized controlled
(SNRIs), and pregabalin are recommended as fi rst-
studies. Recommendation grades are based on a
line drugs due to their favorable risk-benefi t ratio,
synthesis of evidence and the risks of a drug (for
with some differentiation regarding the various anx-
example, benzodiazepines have category of evidence
A, but only a recommendation grade of 2, due to
SSRIs . SSRIs are indicated for the anxiety disorders,
OCD, and PTSD. Although treatment with SSRIs is
Table I. Categories of evidence and recommendation grades (Table III gives the categories of evidence for all recommended drugs). For a detailed defi nition of the evidence and recommendation
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Limited positive evidence from controlled studies
Evidence from uncontrolled studies or case reports/expert opinion
Based on the opinion of experts in the fi eld or clinical experience
Category A evidence and good risk-benefi t ratio
Category A evidence and moderate risk-benefi t ratio
WFSBP guidelines for primary care
Table II. Short description of anxiety disorders as defi ned by ICD-10 [2] and DSM-IV-TR [3].
Panic disorder (PD) Panic disorder is characterized by recurrent panic attacks. Panic attacks are discrete periods of intense fear or discomfort, accompanied
by at least four somatic and psychic symptoms (palpitations, sweating, trembling, dyspnoea, choking sensations, chest pain, nausea, abdominal distress, dizziness, feeling of unreality, fear of dying, etc.). A panic attack reaches a peak within 10 min and lasts 30 – 45 min on average. Usually, the patient is afraid that he has a serious medical condition such as myocardial infarction. Agoraphobia About two-thirds of all patients with panic disorder suffer from agoraphobia, which is defi ned as fear in places or situations from which
escape might be diffi cult or in which help may not be available in the event of having an unexpected panic attack. These situations include being in a crowd or standing in a line, being outside the home alone, or traveling in a bus, train or automobile. These situations are avoided or endured with marked distress. Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) The main features of generalized anxiety disorder are excessive anxiety and worry. The patients suffer from somatic anxiety symptoms
as well as from restlessness, irritability, diffi culty concentrating, muscle tension, sleep disturbances and being easily fatigued. Patient may express constant worry that the patient or a relative will shortly become ill or have an accident. Specifi c phobia Specifi c phobia is characterized by excessive or unreasonable fear of single objects or situations (e.g., fl ying, heights, animals, seeing Social phobia (social anxiety disorder; SAD) This disorder is characterized by marked, persistent, and unreasonable fear of being observed or evaluated negatively by others in social
performance or interaction situations and is associated with somatic and cognitive symptoms. The feared situations are avoided or else are endured with intense anxiety or distress. These situations include fear of speaking in public, speaking to unfamiliar people or being exposed to possible scrutiny by others. Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) OCD is characterized by recurrent obsessions or compulsions, or both, that cause impairment in terms of distress, time, or interference
with functioning. Concerns involving contamination, harm, hoarding, and sexual, somatic and religious preoccupations are the most common obsessions. Compulsions include washing, checking, repeating, ordering, counting, hoarding and touching (rare). Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) PTSD develops after a terrifying ordeal that involved physical harm or the threat of physical harm. The person who develops PTSD
may have been the one who was harmed, the harm may have happened to a loved one, or the person may have witnessed a harmful event that happened to loved ones or strangers. The condition is characterized by recurrent and intrusive distressing recollections of the event, nightmares, a sense of reliving the experience with illusions, hallucinations, or dissociative fl ashback episodes, intense psychological or physiological distress at exposure to cues that resemble the traumatic event, avoidance of stimuli associated with the trauma, inability to recall important aspects of the trauma, loss of interest, estrangement from others, sleep disturbances, irritability, diffi culty concentrating, hypervigilance, and exaggerated startle response. The full symptom picture must be present for more than
usually well tolerated, restlessness, jitteriness, an increase
calcium channels in central nervous system tissues.
in anxiety symptoms, insomnia or headache in the fi rst
Such binding reduces calcium infl ux at nerve termi-
days or weeks of treatment may jeopardize compliance
nals and modulates the release of neurotransmitters.
with treatment. Lowering the starting dose of SSRIs
The main side effects include dizziness and somno-
may reduce this overstimulation. Other side effects
lence. The onset of effi cacy occurs in the fi rst days
include nausea (and therefore the recommendation is
of treatment, which is an advantage over treatment
to take it after a meal), headache, fatigue and dizziness.
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The anxiolytic effect may start with a delay of 2 – 4 weeks (in some cases up to 6 or 8 weeks). Long term side
TCAs. The effi cacy of TCAs in panic disorder and
effects include sexual dysfunctions and weight gain.
generalized anxiety disorder is well proven, mainly for imipramine and clomipramine. However, TCAs have
SNRIs. The anti-anxiety effect of SNRIs may have a
not been investigated systematically in social anxiety
latency of 2 – 4 weeks. Like SSRIs, at the beginning of
disorder. Compliance may be reduced by adverse
treatment, side effects like nausea, restlessness, insom-
effects such as sedation, prolonged reaction time, dry
nia or headache may pose a threat to compliance with
mouth, constipation and weight gain. Pharmacoki-
treatment. Also, sexual dysfunctions, discontinuation
netic interactions can limit their use in patients taking
syndromes, increased blood pressure, and other
concomitant medication. However, the major consid-
adverse events have been reported. There is no suffi -
eration is their potential lethality in case of overdose,
cient evidence to support the use of SNRIs in OCD.
due to their potential cardiac and CNS toxicity. Hence, TCAs should be avoided in patients at risk of suicide.
Pregabalin . The calcium channel modulator pregaba-
Moreover, in general, the frequency of adverse events
lin has been found to be effective in GAD
is higher for TCAs than for newer antidepressants,
anxiolytic effects of the drug are attributed to its
such as the SSRIs or SNRIs. Thus, the latter drugs
binding at the α - δ -subunit protein of voltage-gated
should be tried fi rst before TCAs are used.
Table III. Recommendations for drug treatment of anxiety disorders and OCD. Daily dose in mg (in brackets: categories of evidence and recommendation grade: see Table I.
Noradrenergic and specifi c serotoninergic
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Abbreviations: see text. Not all drugs are currently approved in all countries for these indications; refer to local prescribing information.
Benzodiazepines. The anxiolytic effect starts within
combination with serotonergic medications during
minutes after oral or parenteral application. In
the fi rst weeks of treatment to suppress increased
general, they have a good record of safety. Due to
anxiety. In general, benzodiazepines should be used
CNS depression, benzodiazepine treatment may be
with a regular dosing regimen. Only in the treat-
associated with sedation, dizziness, and prolonged
ment of short-term distress (e.g., air travel or dental
reaction time. Accordingly, cognitive functions and
phobia), p.r.n. (when necessary) use may be justi-
driving skills are affected. After a couple of weeks
fi ed. One should be aware that benzodiazepines
or months of continuous treatment with benzodia-
were not found to be effective in acute stress disor-
zepines, low-dose dependency may occur in a sub-
der and in conditions with depression comorbidity,
stantial number of patients. Patients with a history
of benzodiazepine, alcohol or other psychoactive substance abuse should generally be excluded from
Antihistamines . The antihistamine hydroxyzine is
treatment, or be closely monitored in specialized
effective in generalized anxiety dis order. Because of
care settings. Benzodiazepines may also be used in
sedating effects, the antihistamine should only be
WFSBP guidelines for primary care
used when other medications have not been success-
ful or not tolerated. Side effects include sedation,
All patients with anxiety disorders require supportive
anticholinergic effects at high doses, blurred vision,
therapy. Psychological and pharmacological treat-
confusion, delirium and others. When sedating effects
ments are often concomitant therapies, rather than
are wanted, the antihistamine would be a better
alternative therapies. Exposure therapy (e.g., gradual
exposure in vivo, “ fl ooding ” ) and response preven-tion were found to be very effective in specifi c pho-
Atypical antipsychotics. In a number of studies, atyp-
bia, agoraphobia, social phobia and OCD. However,
ical antipsychotics such as quetiapine have been
techniques like exposure and response prevention
used as monotherapy in GAD or as add-on treat-
have high rates of therapy refusal and attrition due
ment for non-responsive cases of anxiety disorders,
to unpleasant experience during sessions and related
OCD and PTSD. Side effects of atypical antipsy-
anticipatory anxiety. As a rule, patients should be
chotics include sedation, orthostatic hypotension,
transferred to experienced psychotherapists for for-
sexual dysfunctions, metabolic syndrome, extrapy-
mal psychotherapy; however, physicians in primary
ramidal effects and others. However, in most coun-
care also can help their patients with supportive talks,
tries atypical antipsychotics are not licensed for
by providing psychoeducational advice, and by
these disorders. Therefore, treatment with these
encouraging them not to avoid feared situations.
medications should probably be reserved only to a
Choosing between medications and CBT is deter-
mined by a number of factors, particularly the patient ’ s preference, treatment options at hand, adverse drug effects, onset of effi cacy, comorbidity
(e.g., with depression), fi nancial considerations, time availability and commitment of the patient, accessi-
Approximately 75% of patients respond to the initial
bility of psychiatric and psychological treatment
low dose of antidepressants (with the exception of
resources, and qualifi cation and experience of the
OCD). In some patients, such as the elderly, treat-
ment should be started with half the recommended dose or less in order to minimize initial adverse drug events. In particular, patients with panic disorder may be sensitive to serotonergic stimulation and
Special treatment recommendations for the
may easily discontinue treatment because of initial
different anxiety disorders
jitteriness and nervousness. For tricyclic antidepres-
The treatment recommendations for the different
sants (TCAs), it is recommended to initiate the drug
anxiety disorders are summarized in Table III. Some
at a low dose and increase the dose every 3 – 5 days.
antianxiety drugs are effective in all anxiety disor-
The antidepressant dose should be increased to the
ders, whereas some drugs have only been studied in
highest recommended therapeutic level if the initial
specifi c anxiety disorders and thus should be reserved
treatment with a low or medium dose fails. For
OCD, medium to high doses are recommended. If pharmacokinetic data support once daily dosing,
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taking medications in a single dose may increase
Panic disorder and agoraphobia . In acute panic attacks,
compliance. In patients with hepatic impairment, a
reassurance of the patient may be suffi cient in most
dosage adjustment or use of medications with pri-
cases. In severe attacks, short-acting benzodiazepines
marily renal clearance (e.g., pregabalin) may be
may be needed (e.g., melting tablets). SSRIs and
venlafaxine are the fi rst-line treatments for panic dis-
If the patient does not respond to treatment in
order. After remission, treatment should continue for
an adequate dose after 4 – 6 weeks (8 – 12 weeks in
at least several months in order to prevent relapses.
OCD or PTSD), medication should be changed or
SSRIs, venlafaxine, TCAs, benzodiazepines and
a referral to a psychiatrist should be considered.
other drugs have shown long-term effi cacy in these
For patients who do not improve with standard
studies. Regarding SSRIs and SNRIs, the same doses
treatments, a number of alternative options exist,
are usually prescribed in the maintenance treatment
including the addition of antipsychotics to the
antidepressant medication in OCD (for details
A combination of CBT and medication treatment
has been shown to have the best treatment outcomes.
In patients unresponsive to medications, the addi-
Exposure therapy is used to treat agoraphobia, and
tion of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) may be
CBT was developed for treating spontaneous panic
attacks. Exercise seems to have some effect in panic
disorder; however, this effect seems to be less pro-
Only a minority (10 – 20%) of persons subject to
severe traumatic events develop PTSD. The current recommendation in the fi rst month is summarized
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) . The fi rst-line
treatments for GAD are SSRIs, SNRIs and pregaba-
response to an abnormal situation ” ), Don’t Psycholo-
lin. Other treatment options include buspirone and
’ t facilitate emotional reaction via group
hydroxyzine. Benzodiazepines should only be used
therapy, or stressful debriefi ng), and Don’t Pharma-
for long-term treatment when other drugs or CBT
cologize (there is no evidence that prophylactic med-
ication treatment may prevent the development of
As a psychological treatment strategy, CBT and
PTSD). CBT is indicated only several months after
associated techniques have been used in generalized
exposure to trauma and for individuals who have
anxiety disorder. CBT is based on cognitive models
developed PTSD. “ Debriefi ng ” (a therapeutic con-
stressing the role of worrying, cognitions, and avoid-
versation with an individual who has just experienced
a traumatic event in order to prevent PTSD) and benzodiazepines in the fi rst few hours after exposure
Social anxiety disorder (SAD) . First-line treatments
is contraindicated, as they might interfere with the
include SSRIs and venlafaxine. Benzodiazepines
have not been studies extensively in SAD, and there is no evidence for the use of tricyclic antidepressants
Treatment under special conditions
in SAD. The irreversible monoamineoxidase inhibi-tor phenelzine may be an option in treatment-
Pregnancy. The risks of drug treatment during preg-
unresponsive cases. SAD is generally a chronic
nancy must be weighed against the risk of withhold-
disorder and requires long-term treatment.
ing treatment for an anxiety disorder. According to
Among psychological therapies, exposure therapy
the majority of studies, the use of SSRIs and TCAs
and CBT have been shown to be effective.
in pregnancy imposes no increased risk for malfor-mations. It is recommended to avoid paroxetine
Specifi cphobia . Usually, patients with specifi c phobia
alprazolam use among pregnant women or women
do not consult medical professionals, especially if
they can cope with their phobia by avoiding the spe-cifi c feared situations or objects. Exposure therapy is
Breast-feeding. SSRIs and TCAs are excreted into
effective to treat specifi c phobia. Psychopharmaco-
breast milk, and low concentrations have been found
logical drugs are not recognized as a standard treat-
in infants ’ serum. Plasma levels of the SSRIs parox-
ment in simple cases of specifi c phobia. In severe
etine and sertraline in breast-fed infants are usually
undetectable. In mothers receiving SSRIs and TCAs (with the exception of doxepine), it seems unwar-
Obsessive – compulsive disorder (OCD) . First-line treat-
ranted to recommend that breast-feeding should be
ments are the SSRIs and the TCA clomipramine. It
discontinued. During maternal treatment with ben-
is recommended to use the medium to upper dose
zodiazepines, infants should be observed for signs of
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range (although the evidence regarding a dose-
sedation, lethargy, poor suckling, and weight loss,
response relationship for SSRIs and clomipramine
and if high doses have to be used and long-term
in OCD is mixed). OCD requires long-term treat-
administration is required, breast feeding should
makes you well, keeps you well ” ). If patients do not respond, consultation with a psychiatrist might be
Treating children and adolescents. Regarding the phar-
considered. In severe OCD cases, where all other
macological treatment of anxiety disorders, experi-
available therapeutic approaches have been tried
ence in children and adolescents suggests that SSRIs
without success, deep brain stimulation may be a
should be the fi rst-line treatment. However, there
have been warnings against their use due to concerns about increased risk of suicidal ideation and behav-
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) . First-line treat-
ior. Careful monitoring is advisable, due to possible
ments include the SSRIs and venlafaxine. PTSD is
diagnostic uncertainty and the presence of co-
often a chronic disorder and needs long-term treat-
ment for at least 12 – 24 months. Long-term effi cacy was proven for the SSRIs fl uoxetine and sertraline
Treating the elderly. Factors that should be regarded
in the treatment of the elderly include an increased
WFSBP guidelines for primary care
sensitivity for anticholinergic properties, an increased
treatment of a patient should be planned in the light
risk for orthostatic hypotension, ECG changes dur-
of clinical features presented by the patient and the
ing treatment with TCAs, and possible paradoxical
diagnostic and treatment options available.
reactions to benzodiazepines, which include depres-sion, with or without suicidal tendencies, phobias, aggressiveness, or violent behavior. Thus, treatment
Key points
with TCAs or benzodiazepines is less favorable, while
• This short version of an evidence-based guide-
line may improve treatment of anxiety disorders, OCD, and PTSD in primary care
Treatment of patients withsevere somatic disease . Patients
• First-line pharmacological treatments for these
with cardiovascular, cerebrovascular and endocrine
disorders are selective serotonin reuptake inhibi-
disease may have adequate and reasonable anxiety
tors (for all disorders), serotonin-norepinephrine
reactions associated with their somatic disease state.
reuptake inhibitors (for some) and pregabalin
They may also suffer from comorbid primary anxiety
disorders. Such anxiety disorders are believed to
• A combination of medication and cognitive
compound the management and the prognosis of
behavior/exposure therapy was shown to be a
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, coronary
artery disease or myocardial infarction, diabetes mel-
• The recommendations are based on randomized
litus or brain injury. Anxiety symptoms may also be
controlled studies, which do not always refl ect
a consequence of medical conditions, such as hyper-
TCAs are best avoided in patients with cardiac
disease. By contrast, the SSRIs have modest effects
Acknowledgements
on cardiovascular function (although higher doses of citalopram and escitalopram have been associated
with QT prolongation) and may have potentially
benefi cial effects on platelet aggregation. Venlafaxine
Statement of Interest
is usually well tolerated, but blood pressure should be monitored in patients with hypertension.
The development of these guidelines was not sup-ported by any pharmaceutical company. Borwin Ban-
delow has received grants/research support, consulting
When should a patient be referred to
fees and honoraria within the last 3 years from Astra-
specialist care?
Zeneca, Bristol-Myers-Squibb, Glaxo-SmithKline, Jazz, Merck, Lilly, Lundbeck, Ono Pharma, Otsuka,
When a patient has been unresponsive after two tri-
Pfi zer and Servier. Robertas Bunevicius has received
als with fi rst-line medications, when the anxiety dis-
grants/research support, consulting fees and honoraria
order is complicated by alcohol or substance abuse,
within the last 3 years from Lundbeck, AstraZeneca,
when the disorder substantially interferes with social
Teva. Eric Hollander has received grant/research sup-
and occupational functioning of a patient or when
port, consulting fees and honoraria within the last
Int J Psych Clin Pract Downloaded from informahealthcare.com by HINARI on 05/17/12
secondary depression or suicidality occur, the patient
years from Abbott BMS, Janssen, Nastech, and Neu-
ropharm. Joseph Zohar has received grants/research support, consulting fees and honoraria within the last 3 years from Glaxo-Smith Kline, Lundbeck, Pfi zer,
Conclusion
Servier, Teva and Wyeth. Siegfried Kasper received
Patients with anxiety disorders, obsessive
grants/research support, consulting fees and honoraria
sive disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder may
within the last three years from AstraZeneca, Bristol-
be effectively treated in primary care. With adequate
Myers Squibb, CSC, Eli Lilly, GlaxoSmithKline, Jans-
treatment, the quality of life of patients with these
sen Pharmaceutica, Lundbeck, MSD, Novartis,
disorders may substantially be improved. A combina-
Organon, Pierre Fabre, Pfi zer, Schwabe, Sepracor,
tion of CBT and medication treatment was shown
grant/research support, consulting fees and honoraria
These principles of practice are considered guide-
within the last years from AstraZeneca, Bristol-Myers
lines only. Adherence to them will not ensure a suc-
Squibb, Eli Lilly, GlaxoSmithKline, Janssen Cilag,
cessful outcome in every case. The recommendations
Lundbeck, MSD, Novartis, Organon, Otsuka, Pfi zer,
are based on randomized controlled studies, which
Schwabe, Sepracor, Servier, and Wyeth. Leo Sher:
do not always refl ect clinical reality. The individual
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