Multicenter double-blind efficacy and safety study comparing alprazolam, diazepam and placebo in clinically anxious patients

A double‐blind comparison of alprazolam, diazepam and placebo in the treatment of anxious out‐patients.

“…A larger sample would probably have produced more clear-cut results but this study supports others in finding that alprazolam is a safe and effective anxiolytic (Fabre & McLendon, 1979;Aden & Thein, 1980;Maletzky, 1980;Cohn, 1981) with some beneficial effect on neurotic depression (Fabre, 1976;Fabre & McLendon, 1980). Thanks are due to Upjohn Ltd for providing the capsules and other assistance in the organisation of the trial.…”

“…Anxiety was assessed by means of the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HARS) (Hamilton, 1959) and a self-rating scale of 35 items measured on a four-point scale (Cohn, 1981), before entering the trial and at the end of weeks 1, 2 and 4. Midway through the trial, when evidence of alprazolam's possible anti-depressant action emerged (Fabre & McLendon, 1980) the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HRS) (Hamilton, 1960) was included in the assessment of the last 24 patients.…”

Brief review of published alprazolam clinical studies.

“…Anxiety and neurosis A number of studies have consistently shown that alprazolam is significantly more effective than placebo in the treatment of anxiety neurosis in both adults (Aden & Thein, 1980;Chouinard et al, 1982;Cohn, 1981;Davison et al, 1983;Griess & Fogari, 1980;Maletzky, 1980;Rickels et al, 1983) and geriatric patients (Cohn, 1984). At the end of 4 weeks of treatment, statistically significant improvement was reported on all outcome measures (rating scales).…”

Alprazolam Compared to Clobazam and Placebo in Anxious Outpatients

“…The anxiolytic properties of alprazolam and cloba zam have been demonstrated in a number of clinical trials [Cohn, 1981;Brogden et al, 1980]. Although the clinical properties are similar, alprazolam apparently has a more well-established effect on panic attacks and a probable effect in some depressed patients [Chouinard et al, 1983;Fabre and McLendon, 1980], On a milligram to milligram basis, alprazolam is the most potent of the presently available benzodiazepines and possesses a potency about ten times that of diaze pam [Rickels, 1982], This, in turn, is about twice as potent as clobazam [Gerhards, 1979].…”