As mental illnesses in the USA go, anxiety disorders are perhaps one of the most prevalent. According to statistics released by the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, around 18% of the population of the country suffers from anxiety disorders. The good news is that these disorders are extremely conducive to treatment. There are many methods of treating anxiety disorders and the usage of alprazolam is one of them. The trademark of this class of drugs is Xanax.

What is Xanax?

Xanax is the trade name of alprazolam which in turn is a benzodiazepine category amongst psychoactive drugs. Alprazolam itself has been approved by the FDA in treating of anxiety disorders among many other health conditions. Xanax is administered orally and consists mainly of alprazolam along with some other inactive ingredients such as magnesium stearate and silicon dioxide among others. This is a serious medication and needs to be given or prescribed only by a doctor.

Side-effects of Xanax

Almost every medicine will have some kind of side-effects. As far as Xanax is concerned, the side effects can range from mild to extremely serious. It is imperative that an individual who is taking such medication keeps track of his signs and symptoms and contact his doctor if the symptoms become serious. Some of the symptoms are:

Weight gain - one clinical trial indicated that 27% of patients gained weight
Allergic reactions of various kinds
Decrease in libido – 14% of patients in one study reported this symptom
A feeling of dizziness and nausea
Fatigue

While most symptoms are not too serious, an individual can cater and deal with them, serious allergic reactions need immediate medical advice and intervention. In a study reported by eMedTV.com, anywhere between 32 and 76% of the patients who were on Xanax reported a range of such side-effects.

Studies of this medication in various disorders and situations

As far as the treatment of anxiety disorders go, one study has revealed that this drug is good for or recommended for a short-term treatment. The drug has also been shown to be effective for the treatment of panic disorders. However, a doctor has to monitor his patients consistently to understand the effects that this medication is having on their particular condition.

There have also been pharmacokinetic studies on the side effects of Xanax and it has been found that pregnant women should not be given this medication. Xanax can result in some serious harm for the fetuses. Drug interaction can also happen with CYP3A inhibitors.