Paroxetine in treatment of generalized anxiety

AIM: To investigate the clinical effect and side effects of paroxetine in the treatment of generalized anxiety (GA). METHODS: Ninety patients who met Chinese classification and diagnostic criteria of mental disorders, 2nd Rev Ed (CCMD 2 R) criteria for GA were randomly divided into paroxetine group of 30 patients (M 12, F 18; age 40 a± s 13 a) which was treated with paroxetine 20-40 mg, po, qd or bid, benzodiazepines group of 30 patients (M 13, F 17; age 37 a±13 a) among them, 16 patients were treated with alprazolam 0.4-0.8 mg, po , bid or tid, 14 patients were treated with clonazepam 1-2 mg, po , bid or tid and placebo group of 30 patients (M 11, F 19; age 37 a±13 a) which was treated with placebo 1 tablet, tid for 12 wk. Effects were evaluated with Hamailton anxiety scale (HAMA), self rating anxiety scale (SAS), clinical global impression scales (CGI) and treatment emergent symptoms scale (TESS), before and after the wk 2,4,8,12 of treatment. RESULTS: The excellent response rates of paroxetine group and benzodiazepines group were 90 % and 50 % ( P 0.01). The side effects of paroxetine group were dry mouth, constipation, nausea, but those were less than that of benzodiazepines group. CONCLUSION: The study suggests that paroxetine is an effective drug for the long treatment of GA and the side effect is less.