A common component of an anxiety disorder is the panic attack. A panic attack may be a familiar experience to many, as 15% of people have reported the occurrence of one over their lifetime. It is defined as a discrete period of intense fear or discomfort in the absence of real danger that is accompanied by 4 of 13 somatic or cognitive symptoms. This attack can occur suddenly and peak ... Read More

A recent study concludes that the antidepressant drug Zoloft (Sertraline) appears to be effective in reducing the number of panic attacks in patients with panic disorder. * Researchers at Detroit's Wayne State University randomized 168 patients with panic disorder to receive either sertraline or a placebo for 10 weeks to collect data. * Found that the average number of panic attacks suffered weekly by patients treated with sertraline dropped 88%, compared to ... Read More

Friedman S, editor New York, London: The Guilford Press; 1997. 261 pp. with index ISBN 1-57230-237-2 Anxiety is a profound human experience. Anxiety disorders are universal in human societies, although the diagnostic patterns vary over time and from one place to another. This volume describes some culturally bound anxiety syndromes, but dwells on the diagnostic categories of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, third (DSM-III), third ... Read More

Question. My husband is depressive, on medication and seeing a psychiatrist. When he's in the "pit" he becomes incredibly needy. He has frequent panic attacks and yells for me to come help him each time he has one - sometimes three or four times an hour. He is on medication and seeing a psychiatrist. I can handle this over the short term, but the problem is I'm returning to a ... Read More

Evidence indicates that patients with major depression and co-occurring anxiety features are at risk for more severe symptoms and less favorable outcome than patients with major depression alone. In particular, the existence of co-occurring panic symptoms has been linked to more severe depressive episodes, poorer psychosocial functioning, and poorer response to both psychotherapeutic and pharmacological treatments for depression. In The American Journal of Psychiatry, Ellen Frank, Ph.D., and colleagues at the ... Read More

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors Most recently, the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) have provided an alternative to the older pharmacologic treatments. Although paroxetine and, very recently, sertraline have FDA-approved indications for the treatment of panic disorder, a significant body of literature exists, as well, for fluvoxamine and, to a lesser extent, fluoxetine. Sheehan and Harnett-Sheehan have comprehensively reviewed the role of SSRIs and Jefferson has reviewed the antidepressants in general in ... Read More

As many as 70% of patients with panic disorder fulfill the diagnostic criteria for major depression at some point in their lives. Epidemiology and Clinical Features Panic disorder is one of the primary anxiety disorders described in the fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) of the American Psychiatric Association. It is a chronic disorder with a lifetime prevalence estimated to be between 1.5% and 3.5% and ... Read More

Many people need to be encouraged to seek help. Five leading mental disorders affect 10 million Americans, but many people, especially those suffering from depression and panic disorder, do not seek help. It is estimated that during any one year, almost 18 million American adults will suffer from a depressive illness. Among people 65 years of age and older, an estimated 3% suffer from clinical depression. Five Major Disorders There are five major ... Read More