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Drug therapy for anxiety in palliative care
1Pharmacy Practice, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, TTUHSC - School of Pharmacy, 36014th Street Mail Stop 8162, Lubbock, Texas 79416, USA.
The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
|February 20, 2004
Summary
This review found no studies on medications for end-of-life anxiety, highlighting a lack of evidence for pharmacotherapy in palliative care patients. Further clinical trials are needed to assess treatment effectiveness and safety.
Area of Science:
- Palliative Care Medicine
- Psychopharmacology
- Oncology
Background:
- Anxiety is a prevalent symptom in patients with advanced diseases.
- It can stem from psychological distress, pain, or poorly managed symptoms.
- Understanding anxiety management is crucial in end-of-life care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and evaluate studies on medications for treating anxiety in terminally ill patients.
- To identify effective pharmacotherapies for end-of-life anxiety.
Main Methods:
- Comprehensive literature search of multiple databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycLit, PsycInfo, Cochrane Library) up to July 2003.
- Inclusion criteria focused on prospective, randomized trials of pharmacological agents for end-of-life anxiety.
- Six studies were initially identified, but none met the rigorous inclusion criteria.
Main Results:
- No studies were found that met the inclusion criteria for this review.
- Existing studies, such as those on alprazolam for cancer patients, did not specifically address end-of-life anxiety.
- There is a significant lack of data on drug effectiveness for anxiety in palliative care.
Conclusions:
- Insufficient evidence exists to conclude the effectiveness of pharmacotherapy for anxiety in terminally ill patients.
- Prospective, controlled clinical trials are essential to establish the benefits and risks of anxiety medications in palliative care.
- Further research is urgently needed to guide treatment decisions for end-of-life anxiety.
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