The influence of ritanserin, a serotonin antagonist, in anxiety disorders: a double-blind placebo-controlled study versus lorazepam.
A double-blind study was performed in 83 patients with generalized anxiety disorder comparing daily doses of 5 and 10 mg ritanserin (a selective antagonist of serotonine S2 receptors) versus placebo and 4 mg lorazepam as reference drug. Patients treated with 10 mg ritanserin or 4 mg lorazepam improved significantly better (p less than 0.05) after two weeks than those treated with placebo. On the other hand a daily dose of 5 mg ritanserin appeared to be not superior to placebo. Patients treated with 4 mg lorazepam complained significantly more about sedation and dizziness than patients treated with 10 mg ritanserin (p less than 0.05).
D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008140:Lorazepam / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D010880:Piperidines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011581:Psychological Tests; D016713:Ritanserin; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D010880:Piperidines; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists; D016713:Ritanserin; D008140:Lorazepam