Definition

Anxiolytics are prescription drugs used to treat and prevent anxiety disorders. Anxiety is an emotional state in which fear dominates a person's life. Drugs that are often prescribed to manage anxiety episodes are known as benzodiazepines. Probably the best-known example of a benzodiazepine is the anxiolytic diazepam. In the United States, diazepam is sold under the brand name Valium.

All together, there are six other anxiolytics approved for use in the United States. All of these medications are similar to diazepam in their chemical structures and the way they exert their beneficial anxiolytic effects. However, these drugs differ from one another in several important ways. Some drugs work faster than others, while other drugs continue their...