GlaxoSmithKline's Japan Survey Indicates 30% of Patients Taking Benzodiazepine Anxiolytic Suffer from Depression.

Tokyo, Japan, Sept 21, 2005 - (JCNN) - GlaxoSmithKline has announced the results of its recent Internet survey of 116,796 people in Japan on indefinite complaints. Of the respondents, 429 people answered that they have continuously taken benzodiazepine anxiolytic for more than one month and are prescribed with it for symptoms except depression.

Specifically, 24.1% of those who continuously take benzodiazepine anxiolytic said that they are diagnosed as autonomic nerve imbalance, followed by insomnia, panic disorder, anxiety neurosis and menopause. Subsequently, the company had the 429 respondents check themselves using the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (M.I.N.I), a short structured diagnostic interview developed in 1990.

The interview results revealed that 8.8% of them suffer from major depression and 20.1% are in a state of depression. Based on the results, the company indicated that there is a danger to overlook the development of depression by treating patients who have indefinite complaints with symptomatic treatments such as dosing benzodiazepine anxiolytic.

When asked why they began taking benzodiazepine, most of the respondents mentioned their physical symptoms such as sleeping difficulty, anxiety, palpitation and dizziness rather than their psychiatric symptoms appeared.

In addition, the respondents tend to take the anxiolytic for a long period of time. The average length of dosing is 4.2 years.

In accordance with these findings, GlaxoSmithKline emphasizes that it is important for patients taking anxiolytics to consult a doctor with the premise that he or she may develop depression.

Source: JCN http://www.japancorp.net

Copyright [c] 2005 Japan Corporate News Network. All rights reserved.