Question

A patient has been diagnosed with panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and social anxiety disorder. You have tried SSRIs and they have not worked. What do you prescribe next?

1) Imipramine
2) Beta blockers
3) Benzodiazepine
4) Venlafaxine

Answer 1

If SSRIs are not effective, alternatives for treating anxiety disorders include Imipramine, Beta blockers, Benzodiazepines, or Venlafaxine, depending on the patient's specific circumstances and healthcare provider's judgment.

Step-by-step explanation:

If a patient has been diagnosed with panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and social anxiety disorder, and Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) such as fluoxetine (Prozac), sertraline (Zoloft), and escitalopram (Lexapro) have not been effective, there are several alternatives that a healthcare provider might consider prescribing. These include:

• Imipramine - A tricyclic antidepressant that can be used to treat panic disorder.
• Beta blockers - Can help manage physical symptoms of anxiety.
• Benzodiazepines - Effective for quick relief of acute anxiety symptoms.
• Venlafaxine - A serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) that can also be effective for anxiety disorders.

In practice, the choice of which medication to prescribe next depends on a variety of factors, including the specific symptoms being targeted, the patient's medical history, potential side effects, and the presence of any co-occurring medical conditions.