Which is better for anxiety- Etizolam or Clonazepam

Introduction

Anxiety disorders are among the most common mental health problems affecting millions worldwide. Surveys indicate that 275 million, or 4% of the total population, suffer from anxiety disorders globally, with depression being the leading cause of disability worldwide. Females are more affected than males, comprising almost 62% of the list. Anxiety is the most common mental health issue in the United States, affecting nearly 40 million adults.

prevalence by mental and substance use disorder

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Underlying medical issues, stress, low self-esteem, genetics, and substance abuse are some of the major risk factors behind the condition, with poor sleep habits and habits being secondary triggers for anxiety. Generalized anxiety disorders, OCD, PTSD, panic attacks, and phobias are some of the most common ailments that cause excessive restlessness, irritability, and heart palpitations, along with interfering with their social and personal lives. Medications are the most important treatment options for these conditions, enabling people to calm down and lead everyday lives.

Etizolam and Clonazepam are two essential medications in the benzodiazepine family. They have recently gained a lot of popularity because of their quicker onset of action and effectiveness in treating anxiety. To evaluate the better two, it is essential to understand them briefly.

A word about Etizolam and Clonazepam

Both Etizolam and Clonazepam are benzodiazepines used in the treatment of anxiety primarily and other conditions like sleeplessness, panic disorders, and other problems mounting up to/ causing anxiety. Benzodiazepines are a group of psychoactive drugs that work on the GABA neurotransmitters of the CNS to bring out their anxiolytic, hypnotic, and sedative properties.

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Buy Etizolam online is a short-acting benzodiazepine used on its own or in combination with other medications for social anxiety and panic disorders and as a short-term treatment for people with sleeping difficulties. Studies have even found it a practical option in people with mental health problems like Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, along with managing restlessness problems in cancer patients and those with cervical spondylitis. Etizolam has a reasonable absorption rate in the gastrointestinal system and comes in strengths of 0.5mg, 1mg, 2mg, and 5mg.

Clonazepam is a long-acting benzodiazepine that is used as the first line of treatment for seizures and panic disorders with or without agoraphobia tendencies. Social phobia, panic attacks, and acute mania are some chief anxiety disorders treated with Clonazepam on an off-label basis. Studies have shown that it has anxiolytic and muscle relaxant properties that help mitigate pain and relieve anxiety, and it is used in people with compression fractures and seizure tendencies. Clonazepam has a reasonable absorption rate and is available in strengths of 0.5mg, 1mg, and 2mg.

Which is better?

Clonazepam is more effective in the treatment of anxiety problems in comparison to Etizolam. But it tends to make you sleepy. In a study conducted to compare the efficacy and tolerability of Clonazepam to other benzodiazepines, Clonazepam was found to be as productive as other benzodiazepines with an additional advantage of superior safety.

In another study comprising 48 subjects experiencing rebound panic attack symptoms ( worsening of symptoms on discontinuation of the medication )with Alprazolam, switching to Clonazepam decreased the symptoms in 82% ( 39 ) of patients. The study proved that Clonazepam has the potential to offer antimanic efficacy without the relative side effects observed in tricyclic antidepressants and monoamine oxidase inhibitors, making it a safer option for patients.

But despite its pharmacological superiority, the sedative qualities of the medication reduce its effectiveness to a considerable extent. Researchers have postulated that in controlling seizures and epileptic attacks or even managing anxiety, Clonazepam exerts its sedative effects which last for a long time because of its longer half-life. Medical practitioners advise being careful about its sedative effects as first-time users report excessive sleepiness from using the medication and are advised to avoid driving or strenuous outdoor activities.

Most importantly, long-term medication use has increased the possibility of building up a tolerance and making you addicted to it. This can lead to complications in the form of agitation, depression, insomnia, and memory loss. There is limited evidence regarding its anti-depressive properties, and researchers have concluded that Clonazepam, despite its anxiolytic advantages, does not work on patients with depression.

Etizolam tablets are short-acting compared to Clonazepam but without any ensuing daytime sleepiness issues. Additionally, it does not build tolerance as quickly as Clonazepam. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study carried out on 36 patients diagnosed as suffering from Generalized Anxiety Disorder with associated depressive symptoms, Etizolam produced significant improvement in anxiety and depressive symptoms, particularly somatic manifestation, and was significantly more effective than placebo or the 0.25 dosage regimen. Additionally, Buy Etizolam was generally well tolerated, and the few side effects reported, mainly daytime drowsiness, were of mild to moderate severity.

In another study on the non-inferiority of Etizolam versus placebo in affecting cognitive function in patients with mild to moderate anxiety disorder of recent onset, the medication proved well tolerated and generally effective. According to recent studies, selectivity for the subpopulation of Y-aminobutyric acid type A receptors is associated with anxiety (i.e., alpha1, beta2, gamma2). The positive effect of Etizolam on the receptors with fewer adverse events like impaired cognitive function, tolerance, and dependence is why Etizolam is thriving as an anxiolytic.

Misuse potential

Despite having a lower dependence potential than other benzodiazepines, misuse of Etizolam is frequently reported to the extent that it has been banned in The United States and a few other countries. Fatal Etizolam overdoses are rare, but overdosing on it, using it for recreational purposes, or combining it with other anxiolytics/ opioids/CNS stimulants can lead to impaired judgment, short-term memory loss, and impaired cognitive abilities. Animal studies have shown that Etizolam administration may result in less drug tolerance and dependence than classical benzodiazepine. But despite its anxiolytic advantage and overall efficacy, the use of Etizolam must be conducted prudently to be safe.

 

References

  1. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/01/this-is-the-worlds-biggest-mental-health-problem/#:~:text=goes%20to%20 anxiety.-,An%20 estimated%20275%20million%20people%20 suffer%20from%20anxiety%20disorders.,with%20105%20million%20male%20 sufferers.
  2. https://adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/facts-statistics
  3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27121429/#:~:text=Conclusion%3A%20The%20present%20study%20suggests,other%20benzodiazepines%20in%20this%20study.
  4. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2889722/
  5. https://www.healthline.com/health/drugs/clonazepam-tablets#fa-qs
  6. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1981698/

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