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 benzodiazepine /ben·zo·di·az·e·pine/ (ben?zo-di-az´e-pen) any of a group of compounds having a common molecular structure and similar pharmacological activities, including antianxiety, muscle relaxing, and sedative and hypnotic effects. ben·zo·di·az·e·pine anxiolytic 1. antianxiety. 2. an antianxiety agent. anx·i·o·lyt·ic (  ng z 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 1. former name for a category of mental disorders characterized by anxiety and avoidance behavior, with symptoms distressing to the patient, intact reality testing, no violations of gross social norms, and no apparent organic etiology. 2. in psychoanalytic theory, the process that gives rise to these disorders as well as personality disorders and some psychotic disorders, being triggering of unconscious defense mechanisms by unresolved 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 palpitation /pal·pi·ta·tion/ (pal?pi-ta´shun) a subjective sensation of an unduly rapid or irregular heartbeat. pal·pi·ta·tion (p l 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. |
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