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Algorithm for the pharmacotherapy of anxiety disorders
1Medical Research Council Research Unit on Anxiety Disorders, University of Stellenbosch, Cape Town, PO Box 19063, Tygerberg 7505, South Africa. djs2@sun.ac.za
Current Psychiatry Reports
|July 15, 2003
Summary
This article presents a pharmacotherapy algorithm for anxiety disorders, synthesizing evidence from numerous trials. The algorithm aims to guide treatment decisions, acknowledging potential oversimplifications of complex clinical realities.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Clinical Psychology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Growing interest in anxiety disorders since DSM-III.
- Numerous pharmacotherapy trials have been conducted.
- Treatment guidelines are based on systematic reviews and expert consensus.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present a pharmacotherapy algorithm for anxiety disorders.
- To provide a framework for integrating pharmacotherapy data.
- To identify gaps in current knowledge.
Main Methods:
- Development of a pharmacotherapy algorithm.
- Systematic review of literature (implied).
- Expert consensus (implied).
Main Results:
- An algorithm for pharmacotherapy of anxiety disorders is presented.
- The algorithm aims to be concise, user-friendly, and evidence-based.
- Potential for oversimplification of clinical realities is acknowledged.
Conclusions:
- Pharmacotherapy algorithms can aid treatment decision-making.
- Algorithms are dependent on the quality of supporting data.
- The presented algorithm offers a structured approach to anxiety disorder pharmacotherapy.