Anxiety as a drug target Flashcards
What is anxiety
the feeling of unease and fear which can range from mild to severe
List 5 physical signs of anxiety
- tachycardia
- palpitations
- dyspnea
- sweating
- nausea
What are the 6 types of anxiety disorders
- generalised anxiety disorder
- panic disorder
- social phobias
- specific phobia
- PTSD
- OCD
What is the difference between anxiety and fear
anxiety is what someone perceives to be a threat
Fear occurs in response to an actual threat
What are the 2 patterns of pathological anxiety
- generalised anxiety (always present)
- paroxysmal anxiety (happens intermittently)
Define GAD
General anxiety disorder is persistent for 6 months - of uncontrollable worrying
Define panic disorder
recurring and unexpected anxiety attacks or fear of another attack
define social phobia
fear of public scrutiny/humiliation
define specific phobia
restricted to specific objects or situations e.g. flying, heights, needles
has to be a pathological extreme to become anxiety disorder
define PTSD
flashbacks, hypervigilance, depression and numbing after a traumatic event
define OCD
recurrent/obsessive unwanted thoughts resulting in compulsive rituals to reduce anxiety
name 4 pharmacological treatments for anxiety
- SSRIs
- serotonin-noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors
- benzodiazepines
- beta blockers
whats is the aim of SSRIs
seretonin regulates mood - block the reuptake to leave more of it in the synapse to help resume normal communication and improve depressive symptoms
What is the aim of SNRIs
block the reuptake of serotonin and noradrenaline so they stay in the synaptic cleft longer
whats is the aim of benzodiazepines
they bind to the GABAa receptor and keep the channel open longer - this allows the influx of cl- causing hyperpolarization - this inhibits an AP from firing
