Which medication is an intermediate-acting benzodiazepine used for its anxiolytic effects?

Which medication is an intermediate-acting benzodiazepine used for its anxiolytic effects?

• A. Diazepam
• B. Alprazolam
• C. Lorazepam
• D. Temazepam

Answer: (B)

Benzodiazepines vary in how long they act, and for anxiety you want relief that lasts through the day without heavy carryover into the next day. Alprazolam is intermediate-acting, with a rapid onset and a half-life roughly in the 11–16 hour range. This makes it effective for daytime anxiety relief (generalized anxiety disorder and panic disorder) without the pronounced daytime sedation seen with long-acting agents or the sleep-focused effects of very short-acting ones. Diazepam is long-acting and can accumulate with repeated dosing; temazepam is mainly used as a sleep aid rather than for anxiety; lorazepam is also useful for anxiety but is often reserved for acute agitation or sedation needs. So alprazolam best fits the role of an intermediate-acting benzodiazepine used for anxiolysis.

Benzodiazepines vary in how long they act, and for anxiety you want relief that lasts through the day without heavy carryover into the next day. Alprazolam is intermediate-acting, with a rapid onset and a half-life roughly in the 11–16 hour range. This makes it effective for daytime anxiety relief (generalized anxiety disorder and panic disorder) without the pronounced daytime sedation seen with long-acting agents or the sleep-focused effects of very short-acting ones. Diazepam is long-acting and can accumulate with repeated dosing; temazepam is mainly used as a sleep aid rather than for anxiety; lorazepam is also useful for anxiety but is often reserved for acute agitation or sedation needs. So alprazolam best fits the role of an intermediate-acting benzodiazepine used for anxiolysis.