ABSTRACT
A study of 23 patients (16 females, 7 males), diagnosed as suffering from anxiety, was carried out using a flexible dosage regimen of doxepin. Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale scores were assessed on days 0, 7, 14 and 21 and plasma doxepin and desmethyl-doxepin concentrations were analysed from blood samples taken on days 7, 14 and 21 of the trial. No simple correlation between the Hamilton score at day 21 and plasma doxepin concentration (rs = -0.099 p greater than 0.05; n = 19) or plasma desmethyldoxepin concentration (rs = 0.339; p greater than 0.05; n = 19) was obtained. The sum of doxepin and desmethyldoxepin concentrations was not correlated with Hamilton score at day 21 (rs = 0.276; p greater than 0.05; n = 19). No correlation of doxepin, desmethyldoxepin or total concentrations and Hamilton score was found on days 7 or 14 of the trial.
Subject(s)
Anxiety Disorders/drug therapy , Doxepin/therapeutic use , Adult , Clinical Trials as Topic , Doxepin/administration & dosage , Doxepin/analogs & derivatives , Doxepin/blood , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Time FactorsABSTRACT
This paper develops a structural equation model to assess the effects of mental state on EPI scores. This model is applied to results obtained from a clinical population. The findings show that :(a) the E scale is not influenced by mental state as measured by the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAS); (b)) the N scale is influenced by HAS. An attempt to revise the N scale to produce an uncontaminated score is discussed.
Subject(s)
Anxiety/psychology , Models, Psychological , Personality Inventory , Adjustment Disorders/drug therapy , Adjustment Disorders/psychology , Anxiety Disorders/drug therapy , Anxiety Disorders/psychology , Clinical Trials as Topic , Double-Blind Method , Doxepin/therapeutic use , HumansABSTRACT
The prescribing of anxiolytics is often a hit-and-miss process. Current knowledge is examined to encourage a more rational use of such drugs. Because the common symptoms occur in a great array of illnesses, diagnosis is of first importance. For the transient situational disturbance drugs may be unnecessary or may be used merely for a day or two. If the anxiety state persists for a month or so the illness might be termed an anxiety neurosis and if there is no accompanying depression, a short course of benzodiazepine may be of value. With depression present to more than a mild degree as part of the neurosis the tricyclic antidepressant doxepin usually achieves better results than a benzodiazepine. Imipramine can be helpful for the phobic anxiety syndrome and monoamine-oxidase inhibitors can be of separate utility. If the anxiety and depression occur in the context of alcoholism, thioridazine and amitriptyline have certain advantages. There is very little place for phenothiazines or other antipsychotic agents in low doses in the therapy of anxiety except for thioridazine in the above indication.
