In the UK, alprazolam is recommended for the short-term treatment (2–4 weeks) of severe acute anxiety.
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In the US, alprazolam is FDA-approved for the management of anxiety disorders (a condition corresponding most closely to the APA Diagnostic and Statistical Manual DSM-IV-TR diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder) or the short-term relief of symptoms of anxiety. In one study, some long term, high-dosage users of alprazolam developed reversible depression. However, the research into antidepressant properties of alprazolam is poor and has only assessed its short-term effects against depression. Clinical studies have shown that the effectiveness is limited to 4 months for anxiety disorders.
Anxiety disorders Īnxiety associated with depression is responsive to alprazolam. Alprazolam is recommended by the World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry (WFSBP) for treatment-resistant cases of panic disorder where there is no history of tolerance or dependence.
In the United States, alprazolam is FDA-approved for the treatment of panic disorder with or without agoraphobia. However, people with panic disorder have been treated on an open basis for up to eight months without apparent loss of benefit. Most evidence shows that the benefits of alprazolam in treating panic disorder last only four to ten weeks. Alprazolam is no longer recommended in Australia for the treatment of panic disorder because of concerns regarding tolerance, dependence, and abuse. However, it is not a first-line treatment since the development of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Panic disorder Īlprazolam is effective in the relief of moderate to severe anxiety and panic attacks. The FDA label advises that the physician should periodically reassess the usefulness of the drug. Alprazolam may also be indicated for the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder, as well as for the treatment of anxiety conditions with comorbid depression.
Īlprazolam is mostly used in short-term management of anxiety disorders, panic disorders, and nausea due to chemotherapy. In 2019, it was the 41st-most-commonly-prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 17 million prescriptions. Alprazolam is a Schedule IV controlled substance and is a common drug of abuse. Īlprazolam was patented in 1971 and approved for medical use in the United States in 1981. Alprazolam, like other benzodiazepines, acts through the GABA A receptor. Other rare risks include suicide and a twofold increased risk of all-cause mortality. Withdrawal or rebound symptoms may occur if use is suddenly decreased gradually decreasing the dose over weeks or months may be required. Due to concerns about misuse, some do not recommend alprazolam as an initial treatment for panic disorder. Some of the sedation and tiredness may improve within a few days. Ĭommon side effects include sleepiness, depression, headaches, feeling tired, dry mouth, and memory problems. GAD improvement occurs generally within a week. Other uses include the treatment of chemotherapy-induced nausea, together with other treatments. It is most commonly used in short-term management of anxiety disorders, specifically panic disorder or generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).
Alprazolam, sold under the brand name Xanax, among others, is a fast-acting tranquilizer of medium duration in the triazolobenzodiazepine (TBZD) class, which are benzodiazepines (BZDs) fused with a triazole ring.