A systematic review on the efficacy of Fluoxetine in the management of anxiety disorders

Abstract

The quality of life and well-being around the world is hampered by a widely prevalent mental health disorder called anxiety. Anxiety disorder is a spectrum of various conditions including Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), panic disorder, and agoraphobia. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) have emerged as a prominent pharmacological intervention for managing anxiety and related depressive symptoms wherein Tricyclic Antidepressants (TCAs) and Benzodiazepines were primarily used. Effective options across the SSRI group of antidepressants have shown potential when given alone or with other therapies. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of Fluoxetine by evaluating journal articles with the help of established measurement scales. A wide number of Randomized Clinical Trials (RCTs) were identified among which nine studies were selected based on the predefined eligibility criteria. The quality of the studies taken was evaluated by assessing the risk of bias of each RCT incorporated in the systematic review. Comparisons were made between the treatment and comparator groups based on the result after intervention.