Generalized anxiety disorder: What are we missing?

One of the most prevalent anxiety conditions seen in primary care is generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Numerous physical ailments frequently accompany the psychic symptoms of anxiety, which often drive patients to ask for help. In spite of the high incidence of GAD, only 30% of sufferers are diagnosed. Furthermore, very few patients are prescribed medication or referred to a psychiatrist. The key aim is to ensure the early detection and management of these patients. Developing physician education programs may improve the identification of GAD. The use of simple diagnostic tools would also aid the early detection of sufferers. Physicians require more long-term data, including that on the influence of ethnicity and genetics, to assist them to better understand and more effectively manage GAD. By achieving early diagnosis and treatment of GAD, physicians can ensure that a lesser burden is inflicted upon sufferers, thus improving their quality of life. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. and ECNP. All rights reserved.