Antianxiety and Sedative-Hypnotic Drugs
Antianxiety and Sedative-Hypnotic drugs are used in the treatment of many disorders. The foremost are those that have
anxiety as a prominent feature. These include:
- Panic Disorder
- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
- Acute Stress Disorder
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder
- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Substance Induced Anxiety Disorder
Other indications would include Mood Disorders where the need to control excessive amounts of
anxiety or agitation is required (i.e.
agitated depression or manic/hypomanic states).
Some of the medications within this class of drugs are useful in treating patients in which agitation from
psychosis needs to be contained. The added benefit is that these medications also help to reduce the side effects caused by
antipsychotic medications.
The confusing aspect within this class of medications is the division of some of these drugs into the
anxiolytic subclass and the others into the sedative-hypnotic subclass. In simplified terms all these
drugs help in decreasing anxiety (anxiolytic action) and at higher doses many of these
drugs can
induce sleep (sedative-hypnotic action).
Antianxiety and Sedative-Hypnotic drugs: Brand name (generic name)
- Xanax (alprazolam)
- Lectopam (bromazepam)
- Librium (chlordiazepoxide)
- Rivotril (clonazepam)
- Tranxene (clorazepate)
- Valium (diazepam)
- Prosom (estazolam)
- Dalmane (flurazepam)
- Ativan (lorazepam)
- Serax (oxazepam)
- Centrax (prazepam)
- Doral (quazepam)
- Restoril (temazepam)
- Halcion (triazolam)
- Buspar (buspirone)
- PMS-Chloral Hydrate, Somnote (chloral hydrate)
- Gravol, Dramamine (dimenhydrinate)
- Benadryl, Nytol (diphenhydramine)
- Lunesta (eszopiclone)
- Placidyl (ethchlorvynol)
- Doriden (glutethimide)
- Novo-Mepro, Miltown (meprobamate)
- Quaalude (methaqualone)
- Noludar (methyprylon)
- Inderal (propranolol)
- Rozerem (ramelteon)
- Sonata (zaleplon)
- Ambien (zolpidem)
- lmovan (zopiclone)
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