title: The role of duloxetine in the treatment of anxiety disorders.
abstract: Anxiety disorders (ADs) are the most common type of psychiatric disorders, with a mean incidence of 18.1% and a lifetime prevalence of 28.8%. Pharmacologic options studied for treating ADs may include benzodiazepines, tricyclic antidepressants (TCA), selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), noradrenergic and specific serotonergic drug (NaSSA) and dual-reuptake inhibitors of serotonin and norepinephrine (SNRIs). In this context, the development of SNRIs (venlafaxine and duloxetine) has been particularly useful. As a dual-acting intervention that targets two neurotransmitter systems, these medications would appePar promising for the treatment of ADs. The purpose of this review was to elucidate current facts and views about the role of duloxetine in the treatment of ADs. In February 2007, duloxetine was approved by FDA for the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). The results of trials evaluating the use duloxetine in the treatment of GAD are supportive on its efficacy even if further studies on long-term use are needed. Apart from some interesting case reports, no large studies are, to date, present in literature about duloxetine and other ADs such as panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. Therefore, the clinical efficacy and the relative good tolerability of duloxetine may be further investigated to widen the therapeutic spectrum of ADs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology and Neurosciences, Institute of Psychiatry, "G. D'Annunzio" University of Chieti, Italy. dodebera@aliceposta.it
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: De Berardis
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Serroni
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carano
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Scali
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Valchera
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Campanella
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: D'Albenzio
authors.forename: Berardo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Di Giuseppe
authors.forename: Francesco Saverio
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Moschetta
authors.forename: Rosa Maria
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Salerno
authors.forename: Filippo Maria
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Ferro