Estado actual del tratamiento de la ansiedad

Anxiety disorders are the most frequent mental disorders in our sociocultural setting and are very frequently consulted for in Primary Care. They are treatable and long course diseases. This work approaches the treatment of the most frequent anxiety disorders in the daily clinical practice: generalized anxiety disorder, anxiety or panic attack disorder, specific phobia and social phobia. A review is made of the most outstanding Clinical Guidelines and metaanalyses that attempt to put the great disparity regarding the treatments available for these conditions into order. In addition to a general review of the psychotherapies and psychopharmaceuticals that have demonstrated evidence in the effective treatment, information is provided on the management of both types of treatment in each one of the diagnoses reported. In general, and from the pharmacological point of view, it can be said that the antidepressants and more specifically the SSRIs have become the most recommended therapeutical tool for anxiety disorders. However, and in spite of being indicated as questionable, benzodiazepines continue to be used by the clinicians in all varieties of anxiety, but very especially in acute anxiety. Of the available psychotherapies, cognitive behavioral therapy is that which has demonstrated in different trials and its different variants to be the most effective. Implementation of these therapeutic strategies for anxiety within the Primary Care setting is essential.