Hamilton Anxiety Scale

Hamilton Anxiety Scale. The Hamilton Anxiety (HAMA) scale was designed to be used in adult patients who already have a diagnosis of anxiety neurosis rather than for making a diagnosis of anxiety in patients who have other problems. The test contains 14 items, each with a five-point scale, and is completed by a physician or psychologist. The test emphasizes the patient s subjective state. The two subscales determined are somatic anxiety and psychic anxiety. 

Feighner and Cohen [1989) performed a pooled-data analysis of six studies of buspirone in the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder. Buspirone was observed to improve all symptom groups on the Hamilton Anxiety Scale [M. Hamilton 1959). Onset of anxiolytic therapy was evident within 1 week, whereas continued improvement was evident until the 4-week end point. The psychic symptoms of anxiety, such as anxious mood, tension, irritability,... 

The initial study of clonazepam in social phobia conducted by Versiani et al. [1989] showed an overall benefit of the drug. This 8-week, open trial of 40 subjects displayed statistically significant lowering of scores on the efficacy variables, which included the Clinical Global Improvement and Severity Scales [Guy 1976], Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale [liebowitz 1987], Hamilton Anxiety Scale [M. Hamilton 1959], and the Sheehan Disability Scale [D. V. Sheehan 1986]. The mean dose of clonazepam was 3.9 mg/day [SD 0.5 mg]. Subjects in this study reported high rates of side effects, including sleepiness [67.5%], loss of libido [67.5%], and memory problems [35%]. 

Somatoform disorders are a group of diseases that include the complaint of physical pain, which lead the patient to believe they have a physical disease, though none can be found by medical investigation (24). A study was conducted where 151 patients received either Hypericum 300 mg twice daily or placebo. Efficacy was measured using the Hamilton Anxiety Scale, subfactor somatic anxiety (HAMA-SOM). After 6 weeks, the average HAMA-SOM... 

Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A or HAM-AS or HAMRS) Clinician-rated 14 items, 5-point scales scores of >18-20 for moderate anxiety Consists of subscales to measure somatic and psychic anxiety... 

Emotional stabihty (e.g., with Hamilton anxiety scale. Bond Lader analog scale and other similar tools)... 

Patients with panic disorder should be seen every 2 weeks during the first few weeks to adjust medication doses based on symptom improvement and to monitor side effects. Once stabilized, they can be seen every 2 months. The Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety (score less than or equal to 7 to 10) can be used to measure anxiety, and the Sheehan Disability Scale (with a goal of less than or equal to 1 on each item) can be used to measure for disability. During drug discontinuation, the frequency of appointments should be increased. 

Hamilton Depression Scale. The HAMD is one of the most widely used tests to evaluate the severity of depressive illness quantitatively in adults. The most widely used form of this test contains 21 items covering a broad range of symptomatology, with a three- to five-point scale for most items. The minimum time required to complete this test is usually 10 to 20 minutes, and it requires a skilled interviewer. Either the present time or the period within the last week is rated. Six subscales are obtained in the HAMD anxiety/somatization, weight, cognitive disturbance, diurnal variation, retardation, and sleep disturbance. 

Other data arise as scores. These are frequently as a result of the need to provide a measure of some clinical condition such as depression or anxiety. The Hamilton Depression (HAM-D) scale and the Hamilton Anxiety (HAM-A) scale provide measures in these cases. These scales contain distinct items which are scored individually and then the total score is obtained as the sum of the individual scores. For the Hamilton Depression scale there are usually 17 items depressed mood, self-depreciation and guilt feelings, etc., each scored on a three-point scale or on a five-point scale. The five-point scales are typically scores 0 = absent, 1 = doubtful to mild, 2 = mild to moderate, 3 = moderate to severe and 4 = very severe while the three-point scales are typically 0 = absent, 1 = probable or mild and 3 = definite. 

Clark, D.B. and Donovan, J.E. (1994) Reliability and Validity of the Hamilton Anxiety Rating scale in an Adolescent Sample. / am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 33 354-360. 

The Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety (HRSA) is the most widely used instrument for the assessment of anxiety symptoms in patients suffering from diagnosed anxiety disorders. The HRSA consists of 14 items and focuses to a great extent (7/14 items) on somatic symptoms (Hamilton, 1959). 

Health (NIMH) Workgroup WMS-R Visual Span Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test Cahfomia Verbal Learning Test Hamilton Depression Scale Speilberger State-Trait Anxiety Scale San Diego HIV Neurobehavioral Research Center (HNRC) Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test... 

In 24 patients treated with kava for generalized anxiety disorder for 4 weeks in an open, crossover, randomized trial, two dosage schedules were compared 120 mg od and 45 mg tds (5). There were significant reductions in mean Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale scores, irrespective of dose schedule, treatment order, or sex. The impact of adverse effects was relatively low, and only one patient had to withdraw from the study (tds schedule) because of nausea. There was daytime drowsiness in 33% of patients taking the thrice-daily regimen compared with 9% in those taking a once-daily dose. 

Staedr etal. (1991) assessed the effects of (+)-kavain on anxiety in 60 patients with tuberculosis or awaiting its diagnosis. The trial was a randomized, double blind placebo-controlled 12-week study. When evaluated on the Hamilton Depression Scale, patients receiving kavain showed statistically significant improvement compared to patients on placebo treatment. 

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