BUSPIRONE

Course overview

BUSPIRONE IS AN ANXIOLYTIC. ORIGINALLY THE DRUG WAS BEING DEVELOPED AS AN ANTIPSYCHOTIC BUT FOUND NOT TO BE EFFECTIVE FOR PSYCHOSIS, BUT IT HAD ANXIOLYTIC FEATURES THAT WERE USEFUL. BUSPIRONE HAS RECENTLY COME BACK INTO FAVOR, MOSTLY DUE TO ITS DECREASED SIDE-EFFECT PROFILE COMPARED TO OTHER ANXIOLYTIC TREATMENTS. BUSPIRONE IS PRIMARILY USED IN THE TREATMENT OF GENERALIZED ANXIETY DISORDER (GAD). THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE MECHANISM OF ACTION, ADVERSE EVENT PROFILE, TOXICITY, DOSING, PHARMACODYNAMICS, AND MONITORING OF BUSPIRONE, PERTINENT FOR MEMBERS OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM FOR THE TREATMENT OF PATIENTS WITH INDICATIONS WHERE BUSPIRONE IS INDICATED.