RN Nursing · Anti-Anxiety and Sedative-Hypnotic Medications · Practice question
Which medications are classified as anxiolytics? (Select all that apply)
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Diazepam
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Lithium
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Alprazolam
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Sertraline
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Haloperidol
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Risperidone
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Lorazepam
Answer & explanation
Correct: Diazepam · Alprazolam · Lorazepam
Anxiolytics are medications primarily used to reduce anxiety, and the benzodiazepine class is the most well-known group within this category. Diazepam, alprazolam, and lorazepam are all benzodiazepines that enhance the effect of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) at the GABA-A receptor, producing sedative, hypnotic, anxiolytic, anticonvulsant, and muscle relaxant properties. They are FDA-approved and widely used for anxiety disorders, making all three correct selections. Lithium is a mood stabilizer used specifically for bipolar disorder and does not have anxiolytic properties. Sertraline is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) classified as an antidepressant; while it is used as a first-line long-term treatment for anxiety disorders, it is not classified as an anxiolytic medication. Haloperidol is a first-generation (typical) antipsychotic used to treat psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia. Risperidone is a second-generation (atypical) antipsychotic with similar indications. Neither haloperidol nor risperidone belongs to the anxiolytic class. Students often confuse drug classifications with therapeutic uses; a drug may be used off-label or adjunctively for anxiety without being classified as an anxiolytic. The defining feature of true anxiolytics, particularly benzodiazepines, is their rapid mechanism of action through GABA-A receptor potentiation.
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