A Review of the Diagnosis, Pharmacologic Treatment, and Economic Aspects of Anxiety Disorders.

As many as 1 in 4 Americans will experience an anxiety disorder at some point in their lives, and many will also suffer the depression, substance abuse, distressing physical signs, and socioeconomic problems that often accompany these disorders when left untreated. Anxiety disorders can be detected using simple screening tools in the physician's office. Early and effective treatment with appropriate medication can significantly reduce the psychic and physical symptoms of anxiety, lowering the overall costs of the disorder to the health care system and society. Many drugs offer safe and effective relief of anxiety symptoms with few side effects or drug-drug interactions, and some offer symptomatic relief within 1 to 2 weeks.