A COMPARISON BETWEEN DIAZEPAM AND HALOPERIDOL IN ANXIETY STATES

A double‐blind cross‐over comparison of diazepam, haloperidol and placebo was carried out in 51 out‐patients with neurotic anxiety‐tension states. Each drug was given for 1 week: diazepam 15 mg and haloperidol 1 mg per day. Both drugs were significantly better than placebo. Thirty‐three of the patients had anxiety without obvious precipitating factors. In this group, diazepam was significantly better than haloperidol in eight of 15 items, but there was no difference with regard to subjective side effects. Eighteen patients had anxiety resulting from recognizable factors. In this group, no significant difference in therapeutic effect was seen, although haloperidol gave fewer side effects.