Anxiety disorders Flashcards
give some symptoms/signs of anxiety
sweating, shaking, palpitations, hot flushes, parasthesia, dizziness, dyspepsia, tachycardia, derealisation, depersonalisation, dry mouth, chest pain, feeling like you’re going crazy, hypervigilance, racing thoughts, difficulty concentrating
give some examples of anxiety disorders
GAD, panic disorder, Agoraphobia, social phobia, specific phobia, OCD,
define GAD
generalised anxiety disorder
generalised anxiety symptoms lasting longer than 6 months and impairing daily function
give some symptoms of GAD
nervousness, sweating, dizziness, palpitations, GI upset, decreased libido, irritability, sleep disturbance, fatigue
define panic disorder
recurrent unpredictable panic attacks
posssibly triggered by muscle activity or rebreathing CO2
What is agoraphobia
fear of leaving home, open public places, entering shops/crowds
patient is aware that fear is irrational
What parts of the brain are involved in the fear response and hence anxiety
amygdala hippocampus hypothalamus periaqueductal grey matter sensory cortex
How do you manage anxiety
CBT, mindfulness
anxiolytic drugs, antidepressants, beta blockers, Buspirone etc
Explain how Benzodiazepines are anxiolytic and give exmaples of them
Diazepam, Lorazepam, Clonazepam, Temazepam
GABA receptor agonist, enhance effect of GABA on CNS
cause: sedation, muscle relaxation, anticonvulsant
What are some problems with Benzodiazepines
Paradoxical aggression
anterograde amnesia
dependance and withdrawal
Flumazenil is GABA antagonist (used in benzo overdose)
What antidepressants are used in anxiety
SSRI (citalopram, paroxetine) Tricyclics (clomipramine)
SNRI (venlafaxine)
given acutely SSRI’s are anxiogenic but chronically they are anxiolytic
name three other drugs that can be used to treat anxiety
Buspirone and Pregabalin and Pronaolol
What is obsessive compulsive disorder
recurrent intrusive distressing thoughts/ideas/images/impulses/memories
Give some examples of common obsessions
contamination (germs, dust etc) fear of harm (door locking) Order/symmetry obsessions with body religious sexual
how do you manage OCD
Psychotherapy (repeated exposure to trigger and restricting response)
CBT, SSRI
