ANXIETY DISORDER AND DRUG THERAPY: ASSOCIATION WITH QUALITY OF LIFE, SELF-ESTEEM AND CLINICAL-ANTHROPOMETRIC PARAMETERS

Abstract

About 450 million people in the world suffer from some type of mental disorder, especially anxiety. Anxiety disorders significantly affect patients' quality of life and self-esteem by interfering with their daily activities and social relationships. Drug treatment of these disorders can be carried out with the use of benzodiazepines (BZD), dual-acting antidepressants (DUAL) and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), associated or not with psychotherapy. This study aimed to evaluate the association between quality of life, self-esteem, anthropometric parameters and blood pressure in patients with anxiety disorder undergoing drug therapy. This is a cross-sectional observational study with 75 patients diagnosed with anxiety disorder, treated in a psychiatric clinic. Quality of life and self-esteem were assessed using the SF-36 questionnaire and the Rosemberg self-esteem scale, respectively. Anthropometric data and blood pressure were collected. In the population evaluated, most patients had moderate quality of life and self-esteem. An association was observed between SSRI use and overweight assessed by waist circumference and higher systolic blood pressure values. The class of anxiolytic and/or antidepressant used did not show an association with the quality of life and self-esteem of the patients.