| Anxiolytics |
Drug name |
Indications |
Side Effects |
Mechanism |
What you should remember... |
| SSRIs |
Fluoxetine, Sertraline, Paroxetine, Citralopram, Escitalopram |
First line for GAD, OCD and PTSD |
Nausea, GI upset, somnolence, sexual dysfunction, agitation |
Blocks serotonin reuptake to increase serotonin |
|
| Buspirone |
Buspirone |
GAD, OCD, PTSD |
SEIZURES with chronic use. NO tolerance, withdrawal or dependence. |
Unknown |
Takes 1 week before action |
| Beta blockers |
Atenolol, metoprolol, propranolol |
Performance anxiety, PTSD |
bradycardia, hypotension |
blocks beta receptors found throughout the body: heart beta1 decrease HR and BP, lungs beta2 bronchoconstriciton |
(blank) |
| Benzodiazepines |
Lorazepam (ativan), Alprazolam (xanax) |
Anxiety, insomnia, alcohol withdrawal, muscle spasm |
Decrease sleep duration; risk of abuse, tolerance and dependence |
Binds GABA receptors and increases affinity for GABA to cause depression |
(blank) |
| Flumazenil |
Romazicon |
Antidote to benzo intoxication |
resedation; nausea, dizziness, vomiting and pain at injection site |
blocks benzo binding at GABA receptor |
(blank) |
