Anxiety Disorder Quiz Flashcards
SNRIs can cause:
A) Thrombosis
B) Dose dependent increase in BP
C) Hypertriglyceridemia
D) Acute renal failure
B – other adverse effects caused by SNRIs that are not common with SSRIs include sweating, tachycardia, and urinary retention (b/c of increase in NE – anticholinergic)
A 33 y/o woman being treated with cognitive behavioral therapy for depression has developed severe anxiety symptoms, and her therapist has referred her to you for pharmacologic treatment. She would like to take a drug that would treat her depression as well as her anxiety. You could tell her that:
A) Drugs for treatment of anxiety tend to aggravate depression
B) Xanax is effective for treatment of both disorders
C) An SSRI is generally used for initial treatment of anxiety and should relieve her anxiety symptoms within hours
D) An SSRI is generally used for initial treatment of anxiety and is also effective for treatment of depression
D – benzos are not effective for treatment of depression and many patients find it difficult to d/c them. An SSRI or an SNRI is preferred for treatment of patients with concomitant anxiety and depression. Some patients may notice an improvement in symptoms within 2 weeks, but it may take as long as 4-6 weeks for others
Benzodiazepines:
A) Are preferred for treatment of anxiety in patients with a substance abuse disorder
B) Do not interact with other drugs
C) Can cause withdrawal symptoms
D) Are the drugs of choice for long term treatment of anxiety
C — Benzos can provide immediate relief of anxiety symptoms. They are often used as adjuncts to SSRIs or SNRIs, which can take weeks to be fully effective. Abrupt discontinuation of benzos in patients who are dependent on them can result in withdrawal symtpoms, including seizures. All benzos, except lorazepam, oxazepam, and temazepam are metabolized to some extent by CYP3A4.
Tricyclic antidepressants:
A) Have few drug interactions
B) Can cause anticholinergic and other adverse effects and are potentially lethal in overdose
C) Are the drugs of choice for first line treatment of anxiety
D) All of the above
B – TCAs are generally used for treatment of anxiety that has not responded to an SSRI or SNRI. Cumulative exposure to drugs with strong anticholinergic properties, such as TCAs, has been associated with dementia
Which of these drugs can be used in a single dose to prevent performance anxiety?
A) Buspirone
B) Fluoxetine
C) Propranolol
D) Venlafaxine
C – a single dose of propranolol taken about one hour before a performance has been effective in reducing anxiety symptoms without diminishing the quality of the performance. Adverse effects such as dizziness or bradycardia appear to be uncommon with such use
