Generalized Anxiety Disorder Discussion

Anxiety disorders are the most prevalent psychiatric disorders and the leading cause of disability in numerous clinical setups in the USA. According to Chen et al. (2019), at least one in every six Americans takes psychiatric drugs such as antidepressants and sedatives. This manuscript endeavors to compare and contrast various pharmacological agents used to treat generalized anxiety disorders.

There are four major classes of medications that are used in the treatment of anxiety disorder. These medications include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), benzodiazepines, and tricyclic antidepressants. Strawn et al. (2018) elucidated that the medications work via different pathways to achieve the desired health outcomes. Moreover, besides having different efficacy levels, these agents also have different tolerability (Gomez et al., 2018). Generalized Anxiety Disorder Discussion

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AS the name suggests, SSRIs such as citalopram, citalopram fluoxetine, paroxetine, and sertraline inhibit the serotonin reuptake by nerve cells in the brain, thereby increasing serotonin activity –a phenomenon that improves mode (Gomez et al., 2018). Unlike other classes of drugs, SSRIs exert little effect on other transmitters. They generally produce fewer side effects compared to other classes of drugs. Nevertheless, side effects include insomnia, sexual dysfunction, and weight gain. Conversely, SNRIs such as venlafaxine and duloxetine have a dual mechanism of action. It increases the serum level of serotonin and norepinephrine by inhibiting their reabsorption into cells in the brain. This action improves the patient‘s concentration and reduces depression. This class of medication is considered as adequate as SSRIs and thus often used as a first-line treatment of anxiety disorders. The commonly observed side effects include stomach upset, increase in blood pressure, weight gain, and sexual dysfunction (Chen et al., 2019).

Benzodiazepines such as clonazepam, diazepam, and alprazolam work by enhancing the effects of neurotransmitter gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA) at the GABA A receptor. This action results in hypnotic, sedative, anxiolytic, and muscle relaxant properties. One of the significant side effects of this class of medication is tolerance and dependence. Unlike other classes, tricyclic antidepressants (TCA) act on five neurotransmitter pathways to achieve their effects. Besides blocking the reuptake of serotonin and norepinephrine at the presynaptic terminals that bring about ant depressives effect, TCAs such as amitriptyline and imipramine act as competitive antagonists on cholinergic (alpha-1 and alpha-2), muscarinic and histaminergic receptors. Compared to other classes, they can cause serious side effects such as orthostatic pressure, blurry vision, urine retention, and dry mouth (Strawn et al., 2018). Generalized Anxiety Disorder Discussion

References

Gomez, A. F., Barthel, A. L., & Hofmann, S. G. (2018). Comparing the efficacy of benzodiazepines and serotonergic antidepressants for adults with generalized anxiety disorder: a meta-analytic review. Expert opinion on pharmacotherapy, 19(8), 883–894. https://doi.org/10.1080/14656566.2018.1472767

Chen, X., Broeyer, F., de Kam, M., Baas, J., Cohen, A., & van Gerven, J. (2019). Pharmacodynamic response profiles of anxiolytic and sedative drugs. British journal of clinical pharmacology, 83(5), 1028–1038. https://doi.org/10.1111/bcp.13204

Strawn, J. R., Geracioti, L., Rajdev, N., Clemenza, K., & Levine, A. (2018). Pharmacotherapy for generalized anxiety disorder in adult and pediatric patients: an evidence-based treatment review. Expert opinion on pharmacotherapy, 19(10), 1057–1070. https://doi.org/10.1080/14656566.2018.1491966 Generalized Anxiety Disorder Discussion

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 Discussion

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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.

By Day 3 of Week 8Generalized Anxiety Disorder Discussion

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.

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Generalized Anxiety Disorder Discussion