[Buspirone in the treatment of Generalized Anxiety Disorders]

A group of 86 patients, diagnosed with GAD, were treated with doses of 25 mg of Buspirone or 20 mg of Diazepam in a blind study. Comparative efficacy of both drugs and placebo was conducted on 40 patients (archival data). Greater efficacy of Diazepam and Buspirone in states of chronic anxiety was indicated. There were no differences in the intensity of efficacy of both drugs. The effects of Buspirone were equally strong but more general on psychic and somatic anxiety, with the exception of sleep disturbance, in comparison with Diazepam. The efficacy of Buspirone increased after 2 weeks of application. No serious or intensified adverse effects were observed. The incidence of adverse effects was slightly higher in the Buspirone group, and included dizziness, weakness and disturbance of sleep. There were no significant changes in physical examination or laboratory measures.