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Management of common anxiety disorders
E J Walley1, D K Beebe, J L Clark
1Department of Family Medicine, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson.
American Family Physician
|December 1, 1994
Summary
Anxiety disorders impact 16% of Americans, with family physicians managing 90% of cases. Effective treatment integrates medication and psychotherapy for chronic conditions.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Family Medicine
- Psychology
Background:
- Anxiety disorders affect 16% of the U.S. population.
- Family physicians manage 90% of patients with anxiety disorders.
- Common types include generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and social phobia.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review common anxiety disorders encountered in primary care.
- To discuss diagnostic challenges, including differentiating anxiety from medical conditions and depression.
- To outline long-term management strategies integrating pharmacologic and psychotherapeutic interventions.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of pharmacotherapeutic and psychotherapeutic interventions for anxiety disorders.
- Discussion of common pharmacologic options: benzodiazepines, beta blockers, MAOIs, TCAs, azapirones.
- Overview of brief psychotherapeutic models: supportive, cognitive, and behavioral therapies (biofeedback, in vivo exposure, systematic desensitization).
Main Results:
- Anxiety disorders are prevalent and frequently managed by family physicians.
- Accurate diagnosis can be challenging due to overlapping symptoms and comorbidities.
- Integrated treatment combining medication and psychotherapy offers the greatest patient benefit.
Conclusions:
- Family physicians play a crucial role in diagnosing and managing anxiety disorders.
- A long-term care plan is essential due to the chronic nature of these conditions.
- Pharmacologic and psychotherapeutic interventions should be combined for optimal outcomes in anxiety disorder management.