Ripazepam (CI-683): double-blind comparison with placebo in anxious patients

Thirty anxious, neurotic patients were treated in a general practice setting with single-blind placebo for one week followed by two weeks of double-blind treatment with either placebo or 40 or 80 mg/day ripazepam (CI-683), a new potential antianxiety agent of the pyrazolodiazepinone series. As rated by both physician and patient, ripazepam was found significantly superior to placebo at both dosage levels. Some evidence of greater improvement at 80 mg/day than at 40 mg/day was also obtained. The drug appeared to be well tolerated, with side effects reported by only four patients.