Anxiety

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Anxiety is a physiological state marked by demonstrable changes in cognitive, somatic, emotional, and behavioral components. [1] These changes combine to create the sensations typically recognized as fear, apprehension, or worry. Anxiety is also often accompanied by physical sensations such as heart palpitations, nausea, chest pain, shortness of breath, stomach aches, or headache.

Cognitive changes point to an expectation of both present and diffuse danger. Somatically, the body prepares the organism to deal with a perceived threat; blood pressure and heart rate increase, perspiration and bloodflow to the major muscle groups increases, while immune and digestive functions are inhibited. External somatic indicators may present as pale skin, sweating, trembling, and/or pupillary dilation. Emotionally, anxiety induces a sense of dread or panic, and behavior directed at escaping or avoiding the source of anxiety may arise, as the anxiety reaction is an important survival mechanism.

Neurological considerations

Neurological systems that underlie anxiety include the amygdala and hippocampus. [2]. When confronted with unpleasant and potentially harmful stimuli, such as foul odors or tastes, PET-scans show increased bloodflow through the amygdala, while participants reported moderate, but measurable, anxiety. This indicates that anxiety may be a protective mechanism designed to prevent the organism from engaging in potentially harmful behaviors. [3] [4]

Diagnosis

The Generalized Anxiety Disorder - 2 (GAD-2) may screen patients.[5] The GAD-2 scale is the first two items of the GAD-7 scale. Two or more points has 95% sensitivity.

The GAD-7 scale may diagnose patients. A score of 10 or more has 80% sensitivity.[5]

The Kessler-6 scale has been studied.[6] However, at a cutoff of 13 or more points, the accuracy is:

  • Sensitivity 36%
  • Specificity 96%

Treatment

Non drug treatment

Exercise may reduce anxiety.[7]

Cognitive behavioral therapy may help anxiety.[8][9]

Drug therapy

Escitalopram has uncertain benefit in patients aged 60 years or older according to a randomized controlled trial.[10]

Monitoring the response to treatment

The Daily Assessment of Symptoms - Anxiety (DAS-A) scale can help.[11]

The Structured Interview Guide for the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (SIGH-A) scale can help;[12][13]; however, the SIGH-A may not well detect panic symptoms.[12]

The Brief Symptom Inventory (BIS) adapted from the longer SCL-90-R can help.[14][8]

The Overall Anxiety Severity and Impairment Scale (OASIS) can help.[15][8]

References

  1. ↑ Seligman, M.E.P., Walker, E.F. & Rosenhan, D.L. (2001). Abnormal psychology, (4th ed.) New York: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.
  2. ↑ Rosen, J.B. & Schulkin, J. (1998): "From normal fear to pathological anxiety". Psychological Review. 105(2); 325-350.
  3. ↑ Zald, D.H. & Pardo, J.V. (1997). "Emotion, olfaction, and the human amygdala: amygdala activation during aversive olfactory stimulation." Proc Nat'l Acad Sci USA. 94(8), 4119-24.
  4. ↑ Zald, D.H., Hagen, M.C. & Pardo, J.V. (2002). "Neural correlates of tasting concentrated quinine and sugar solutions". J. Neurophysiol. 87(2), 1068-75.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Kroenke K, Spitzer RL, Williams JB, Monahan PO, Löwe B (2007). "Anxiety disorders in primary care: prevalence, impairment, comorbidity, and detection.". Ann Intern Med 146 (5): 317-25. PMID 17339617. Review in: Evid Based Med. 2007 Oct;12(5):149
  6. ↑ Kessler RC, Barker PR, Colpe LJ, Epstein JF, Gfroerer JC, Hiripi E et al. (2003). "Screening for serious mental illness in the general population.". Arch Gen Psychiatry 60 (2): 184-9. PMID 12578436.
  7. ↑ Herring MP, O'Connor PJ, Dishman RK (2010). "The effect of exercise training on anxiety symptoms among patients: a systematic review.". Arch Intern Med 170 (4): 321-31. DOI:10.1001/archinternmed.2009.530. PMID 20177034. Research Blogging.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Roy-Byrne P, Craske MG, Sullivan G, Rose RD, Edlund MJ, Lang AJ et al. (2010). "Delivery of evidence-based treatment for multiple anxiety disorders in primary care: a randomized controlled trial.". JAMA 303 (19): 1921-8. DOI:10.1001/jama.2010.608. PMID 20483968. Research Blogging.
  9. ↑ Stanley MA, Wilson NL, Novy DM, Rhoades HM, Wagener PD, Greisinger AJ et al. (2009). "Cognitive behavior therapy for generalized anxiety disorder among older adults in primary care: a randomized clinical trial.". JAMA 301 (14): 1460-7. DOI:10.1001/jama.2009.458. PMID 19351943. Research Blogging. Review in: Evid Based Ment Health. 2010 Feb;13(1):20
  10. ↑ Lenze EJ, Rollman BL, Shear MK, Dew MA, Pollock BG, Ciliberti C et al. (2009). "Escitalopram for older adults with generalized anxiety disorder: a randomized controlled trial.". JAMA 301 (3): 295-303. DOI:10.1001/jama.2008.977. PMID 19155456. PMC PMC2840403. Research Blogging. Review in: Evid Based Ment Health. 2009 Aug;12(3):87
  11. ↑ Morlock RJ, Williams VS, Cappelleri JC, Harness J, Fehnel SE, Endicott J et al. (2008). "Development and evaluation of the Daily Assessment of Symptoms - Anxiety (DAS-A) scale to evaluate onset of symptom relief in patients with generalized anxiety disorder.". J Psychiatr Res 42 (12): 1024-36. DOI:10.1016/j.jpsychires.2007.09.005. PMID 18061206. Research Blogging.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Rollman BL, Belnap BH, Mazumdar S, Houck PR, Zhu F, Gardner W et al. (2005). "A randomized trial to improve the quality of treatment for panic and generalized anxiety disorders in primary care.". Arch Gen Psychiatry 62 (12): 1332-41. DOI:10.1001/archpsyc.62.12.1332. PMID 16330721. Research Blogging.
  13. ↑ Shear MK, Vander Bilt J, Rucci P, Endicott J, Lydiard B, Otto MW et al. (2001). "Reliability and validity of a structured interview guide for the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (SIGH-A).". Depress Anxiety 13 (4): 166-78. PMID 11413563.
  14. ↑ Derogatis LR, Melisaratos N (1983). "The Brief Symptom Inventory: an introductory report.". Psychol Med 13 (3): 595-605. PMID 6622612.
  15. ↑ Campbell-Sills L, Norman SB, Craske MG, Sullivan G, Lang AJ, Chavira DA et al. (2009). "Validation of a brief measure of anxiety-related severity and impairment: the Overall Anxiety Severity and Impairment Scale (OASIS).". J Affect Disord 112 (1-3): 92-101. DOI:10.1016/j.jad.2008.03.014. PMID 18486238. PMC PMC2629402. Research Blogging.
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