Antianxiety Drug Therapy

Antianxiety medications are used to treat anxiety disorders, usually in combination with psychotherapy. Three classes of medications commonly used to treat anxiety disorders include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, which are also used to treat depression; benzodiazepines, which are also used for their sedative effects; and lastly, buspirone.

Now, anxiety is a feeling of uneasiness, uncertainty, or dread, which can be caused by real or perceived threats. Generalized anxiety disorder, or GAD, is a condition that causes a person to worry excessively and lasts for 6 months or longer.

It can also be accompanied by other symptoms like sweating, trembling, nausea, poor sleep, and impaired concentration. Although buspirone’s mechanism of action isn’t well understood, it’s thought it reduces anxiety by binding to serotonin receptors, and to a lesser extent dopamine receptors.

Alright, now buspirone does not have the potential for abuse or CNS depression like some of the other antianxiety medications.

It’s generally well-tolerated, but some common side effects are headaches, dizziness, changes in dreams, and nausea. Less commonly, it can cause tardive dyskinesia and, rarely, serotonin syndrome.

Buspirone is contraindicated in patients who have been taking monoamine oxidase inhibitors, or MAOIs, within the previous 14 days, because it can increase the risk of serotonin syndrome.

It also should be taken cautiously in patients with existing hepatic or renal impairment. Now, when caring for a patient who’s been prescribed buspirone for anxiety, begin by completing a baseline assessment, including their anxiety level and associated symptoms.

Review your patient’s laboratory test results including CBC, renal and hepatic function tests. During care, monitor your patient closely for side effects, and evaluate the effectiveness of antianxiety therapy.

Finally, when educating your patient, explain that buspirone should be taken orally as prescribed, with or without food.

Let them know that it typically takes several days to notice the anxiolytic effects. Also advise them to avoid grapefruit juice while taking buspirone because it can lead to toxicity, and to avoid alcohol because it can enhance the risk for side effects like dizziness.

Next, teach them about common medication side effects like dizziness, and encourage them to be cautious when changing positions from sitting to standing.

Lastly, teach them to contact the health care provider if they don’t notice an improvement in their anxiety symptoms within three to four weeks.

Alright, as a quick recap. .

. Antianxiety medications are used to control symptoms of anxiety, and include SSRIs, benzodiazepines, and buspirone.

Although the action of buspirone isn’t well understood, it’s thought to reduce anxiety by binding to serotonin receptors and dopamine receptors.

Common side effects include headache, dizziness, changes in dreams, and nausea. When administering buspirone for anxiety, nursing considerations include establishing a baseline assessment, monitoring for side effects, evaluating the effectiveness of antianxiety therapy, and providing teaching for safe self-administration.