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Updated: Jul 29, 2026
14:52
Recording Brain Electromagnetic Activity During the Administration of the Gaseous Anesthetic Agents Xenon and Nitrous Oxide in Healthy Volunteers
Published on: January 13, 2018
Medical practice without antianxiety drugs
The American Journal of Psychiatry
|June 1, 1975
Summary
State Medicaid removed benzodiazepines and hydroxyzine, impacting ataractic medication availability. Most physicians view these drugs as unique, not interchangeable with other psychotropic medications.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Pharmacology
- Health Policy
Background:
- Ataractic medications, including benzodiazepines and hydroxyzine, were removed from a statewide Medicaid formulary.
- This policy change affected the availability of specific psychotropic drugs for patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the impact of removing certain ataractic medications from a Medicaid pharmacopeia.
- To understand physician prescribing habits and perceptions regarding ataractic medications post-formulary change.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of medication formulary changes within a state Medicaid program.
- Review of prescribing patterns and physician attitudes towards ataractic drug substitution.
Main Results:
- Benzodiazepines and hydroxyzine were deleted from the pharmacopeia.
- While other sedatives, hypnotics, antipsychotics, and antidepressants remained, no direct substitutions were made for approximately two-thirds of the removed ataractic drugs.
- Physicians generally considered ataractics to be unique agents.
Conclusions:
- The removal of specific ataractic medications did not lead to widespread substitution with other drug classes.
- Physicians' perception of ataractics as unique agents influences their prescribing behavior, limiting interchangeability with other psychotropic medications.
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