title: The use of benzodiazepines in anxiety and other disorders.
abstract: Benzodiazepines have come under scrutiny and attack over recent years because of their abuse liability, withdrawal reactions and development of tolerance. Consequently, practitioners worldwide are discouraged from prescribing them. While some of these risks may have been exaggerated, benzodiazepines remain a useful therapeutic tool, alone or in combination, in a number of psychiatric and medical conditions. Withholding such treatment may be unjustified and detrimental to the patients' health. Further, benzodiazepines have helped researchers in their attempts to elucidate the neurobiological mechanisms underlying anxiety. This, in return, leads to the development of new effective anxiolytic treatments, with fewer problems compared to the traditional benzodiazepine compounds. Such new agents are already available or at the closing stages of clinical trials.
authors.affiliation: Psychopharmacology Unit, School of Medical Sciences, University of Bristol, UK.
authors.forename: S V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Argyropoulos
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Nutt
mesh_terms: D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001007:Anxiety / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001569:Benzodiazepines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002065:Buspirone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002243:Carbolines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000187:drug effects; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D002243:Carbolines; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; D001569:Benzodiazepines; C062769:abecarnil; D002065:Buspirone