This article presents an updated and broad perspective of the pharmacological treatment of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Medications proven to be efficacious in controlled studies and available in the clinic setting were reviewed (benzodiazepines, buspirone, antidepressives, beta-blocking agents, antipsychotics and kava-kava extract). From this data, an algorithm for GAD treatment is proposed. In addition, the main research lines on new anxiolytic drugs and their stage of clinical or pre-clinical development are presented.
Anxiety disorders; Pharmacotherapy; Animal models
