Chapter 41: Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) with
Verified Answers
GAD epidemiology - CORRECT ANSWER Affects 34% of population during their
lifetime
12% of people seen in anxiety clinic have GAD
Twice as common in women as men
Frequently seen in people with social issues, family history of depression/anxiety,
and people that struggle with substance abuse
Usually begin in early adulthood - chronic disease state in nature
Characterized by waxing and waning of clinical symptoms with periods of
remission and relapse
Many people diagnosed with GAD report feeling anxious their entire life
GAD symptoms - CORRECT ANSWER mind racing
dizzy, disorients, lightheaded
vision strange, blurry
possible sleep disturbance
difficulty swallowing
feeling breathless, breathing fast & shallow
heart racing, palpitation
nausea/lack of appetite
restless legs
trembling arms
sweating or shivering
jelly-like legs
wanting to run
When does normal worry/anxiety turn into GAD? - CORRECT ANSWER Persistent
=Worry about everyday things (money, family, health)
Excessive =Worry for majority of days (3-10 hours/day) for at least 6 months , but
worry for an extended for a extended period of time whereas we all worry about
something for 1-2 hours a day
, Uncontrollable =Often have physical symptoms and worry impairs ability to
function, Leads to fatigue, irritability, and sleep disturbances ;Causes significant
distress
Worry that is unrealistic in nature
GAD treatment agents - CORRECT ANSWER SSRI/SNRI
Buspirone or BZD
Adjunct
CAMS
Multimodal approach focusing on pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy with CBT
GAD treatment goals - CORRECT ANSWER Short term: reduce severity and
duration of symptoms
Long term: improve quality of life while decreasing remission
GAD First line SSRI, SNRI agents *** - CORRECT ANSWER Venlafaxine (Effexor)
Duloxetine (Cymbalta) - most likely to produce beneficial response
Paroxetine (Paxil)
Escitalopram (Lexapro) - most likely to establish remission
Off label use: sertraline (best tolerated), fluoxetine (most likely to achieve
remission of symptoms)
Approved for acute and longterm therapy
GAD first line SSRI, SNRI more notes - CORRECT ANSWER Agents
Response rates of up to 68% and remission rates of 30% with acute therapy
Lack of dependency and usually well tolerated
*drug of choice if patient has a comorbidity of depression
Better than benzos at treating autonomic symptoms (apprehension, worry)
Escitalopram most likely to establish achieve remission
Duloxetine most likely to produced a beneficial response
SSRI MOA - CORRECT ANSWER block the reuptake of serotonin back into
serotogenic neuron, increasing serotonin in post-synaptic cleft
The pathological anxiety state is associated with the dysregulation of multiple
neurotransmitters, including serotonin and NE
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller paulhans. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for £9.69. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.