Benzodiazepine Treats Panic Disorder and Anxiety Attacks - Essay Example

 Outline Introduction Benzodiazepine treats panic disorder and anxiety attacks Disadvantages Benzodiazepine curbs the manifestation of anxiety but not treating it Addiction Benzodiazepine creates high dependency among its uses Withdrawal challenge Doses Administered in low doses, although at times as high as necessary Resistance Certain conditions inhibit effectiveness of benzodiazepine therapy Advantages Lowering the level of anxiety in a patients and boosting their confidence levels Calming effect Tolerance Prolonged use leads to tolerance to the therapeutic capacity to benzodiazepine Interactions Benzodiazepine has additive effects and interactions with other drugs Conclusion Introduction Benzodiazepine is a drug commonly used to treat panic disorder and anxiety attacks; moreover, it has a significant challenge to the patient. This is in form of the side effects it leaves on the patients. However, the goal if this paper is to discuss the efficiency of benzodiazepine therapy in the treatment of anxiety. Disadvantages In treating anxiety, benzodiazepine presents a problem in that a study conducted indicates that a significant number of anxiety patients going through this therapy, did not have marked changes. This was because, a large number of the patients continued suffering from anxiety and panic attacks at an increased rate (Otto, 1993). Moreover, the increase in attacks was as the result of withdrawal from benzodiazepine. Therefore, in treatment the drug is only used only to curb the manifestation of anxiety but not to treat the entire condition wholly because it is of high potency, which influences behavior, change temporary. Addiction Benzodiazepine is a drug that creates high dependency among its users leading to addiction. In the treatment of anxiety, benzodiazepine is administered to patients, and the main challenge it poses, is that of withdrawal from its use especially in the presence of other factors such as estrogen deficiency (Khong et al, 2004). This is because, the drug interacts with somebody hormones that influence a patient’s behavior. Benzodiazepines works by depressing the central nervous system, implying that, the effects left on the patient after therapy are those of reduced nervous ability. This is owing to induced impairment of nervous functionality and coordination issues. However, it depends on the drug used in the cases of addiction because there are benzodiazepines that have a long half-life while others have a short one. In addition, of the long acting benzodiazepine, the side effects are usually reduced as compared to the short acting due to withdrawal symptoms. Therefore, patients withdrawing from benzodiazepine with a long, effective half-life overcome dependency easily as opposed the opposite (Holbrook et al, 1999). In addition, due to its potent nature, anxiety patients and those with access to the drugs can abuse benzodiazepines. The drug offers a euphoric feeling, especially to patients who have a drug use history. Therefore, they use the drug to induce sleep and control anxiety induced by other drugs, as well as curb withdrawal symptoms resulting from the use of other drugs. On the other hand, on addiction, withdrawal symptoms can be adverse to the patient in the impairment of senses and responses. For example, an anxiety patient may suffer from blurred vision, confusion, increased sensory perception, muscle cramping, numbness, decreased appetite and weight loss among others. Moreover, in treatment, relapses are common for addiction to benzodiazepines. This means that one after discontinuing the use of benzodiazepines to mange anxiety, they return to their original condition and symptoms of the anxiety disorder. Doses In relation to dosage, for benzodiazepine therapy to be effective, the dose should be regulated. This is concerning maintaining it at a threshold level in order to curb all the side effects of the therapy. Therefore, benzodiazepine should be administered in low doses, but as high as necessary (Bandelow et al, 2008). This means that its effectiveness relies on the accuracy of whoever is prescribing. This is in spite of the therapy having reduced chances of success as compared alternative treatments using other medications. Resistance Anxiety disorder patients tend to resist benzodiazepine therapy for their condition even after a standard treatment (Bandelow et al, 2008). However, this occurs due to interactions with other drugs that are used concurrently with benzodiazepine. In addition, unless certain, pre-existing, conditions are treated first, the effectiveness of benzodiazepine therapy is inhibited. These conditions include psychosocial stress and concomitant personality disorders and should be treated before prescription of benzodiazepine to curb their counterproductive nature in treatment (Bandelow et al, 2008). Advantages The use of benzodiazepine therapy has borne significant fruits in treating anxiety disorders. This is in the form of lowering the level of anxiety in a patient and boosting their confidence levels. This is unlike before where there existed increased feelings of hostility and anger. Instead, it offers a calming effect that woos the user into expressing themselves appropriately. This occurs by suppressing the previous feelings of anxiety and allowing for self-expression. In spite of all the negative effects of benzodiazepine discussed in this paper, the drug has no known effects concerning inciting aggressive emotions and acts in an anxiety patient. In addition, there is no evidence of impairment in the control of impulse among patients that could lead to the mentioned aggressive behavior (Wilson, 2009). Tolerance In time, usage of benzodiazepine for prolonged periods produces undesirable effects of the patient. These are aside from side effects, but prolonged use of the drug leads to tolerance to the therapeutic benzodiazepine has to offer. Concerning this, the patient requires increased doses of the drug in order to experience the full benefits of therapy. In turn, this leads to the much dreaded addiction and withdrawal symptoms associated with the drug. Interactions Benzodiazepine has additive effects with other drugs that may produce counterproductive results. These are in the form of administering drugs that induce sedative actions, antidepressants and hypnotics. Moreover, the use of these drugs with benzodiazepine causes a reverse reaction due to the fact benzodiazepine works on the central nervous system and depresses. Therefore, use of antidepressants increases nervous activity and induces a state of anxiety. In addition, sedation by benzodiazepine, may lead to accidents occurring in the work place and at home. This shows the ineffective natures of using benzodiazepine therapy to treat anxiety. Still on drug interactions, benzodiazepine induces, at times, excitement coupled with anxiety and other hyperactive conditions. These include aggressive behavior, irritability, hallucination, insomnia and nightmares particularly after intravenous administration (Ashton, 2008). Moreover, reactions with other substances such as alcohol and patients who are dependent on barbiturates also have a profound effect on the patient. This is in the form of depression due to reduced output of the brain’s neurotransmitters. Therefore, the interactions use a negative one, which is counterproductive. At times, these interactions lead to suicidal tendencies among patients following their depressed state (Ashton, 2008). In addition, benzodiazepine influences other drugs to create an emotional anesthesia; a case in which an anxiety patient is unable to feel pleasure or pain, especially in the long-term benzodiazepine users. Conclusion Benzodiazepine therapy proves to have both positive and negative sides to the treatment of anxiety patients. However, the efficiency can only be gauged after comparing both the positive and negative effects that benzodiazepine produces in patients. In this case, benzodiazepine therapy is more harmful than useful due to the numerous side effects it has on anxiety patients, as well as its complications. References Bandelow, B et al. (2008). World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry (WFSBP) Guidelines for the Pharmacological Treatment of Anxiety, Obsessive-Compulsive and Post- Traumatic Stress Disorders Á First Revision. The World Journal of Biological Psychiatry. Retrieved on July 5 2012 from http://www.wfsbp.org/fileadmin/pdf/guides/Guidelines_Anxiety_revision.pdf Holbrook et al. (1999). Meta-analysis of Benzodiazepine Use in the Treatment of Acute Alcohol Withdrawal. Retrieved on July 5 202 from http://www.canadianmedicaljournal.ca/content/160/5/649.full.pdf Khong et al. (2004). Benzodiazepine Dependence. Retrieved on July 5 2012 from http://www.racgp.org.au/afp/200411/20041031khong.pdf Otto et al (1993). Discontinuation of Benzodiazepine Treatment: Efficacy of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Patients with Panic Disorder. Retrieved on July 5 2012 from http://homepage.psy.utexas.edu/homepage/class/Psy364/Telch/Lectures/PDF/Benzodiazepine.PDF Ashton, C. (2008). Adverse effects of Benzodiazepines. Retrieved on July 5 2012 from http://web4health.info/it/bio-benzo-sideeffects.htm Wilson, R. (2009). Benzodiazepines for Treatment of Anxiety and Panic Attacks - Benzodiazepines for Treatment of Anxiety. Retrieved on July 5 2012 from http://www.healthyplace.com/anxiety-panic/articles/benzodiazepines-for-treatment-of-anxiety-and-panic-attacks/benzodiazepines-for-treatment-of-anxiety/ Read More