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.