Differences in the effect of two benzodiazepines in the treatment of anxious outpatients

60 anxious patients received either 3 mg lorazepam or 30 mg clobazam daily for 4 weeks preceded and followed by a 1-week placebo treatment. Both drugs were equally effective in changing the ratings of anxiety obtained on the Hamilton anxiety rating scale, the Leeds self assessment scale and visual analogue scales. Statistically significant differences between the two drugs were observed after the final week on placebo. In the patients treated with lorazepam the psychic anxiety scores worsened and began to return to their pre-drug levels. This reoccurrence of the symptoms of anxiety was not noticed in the patients treated with clobazam.