Panic Attacks and Panic Disorder
Medications
Medications for panic disorder are often used to control the symptoms of panic attacks, reduce their number and severity, and reduce the anxiety and fear associated with having another attack. Medications work best if they are used along with counselling and home treatment, such as relaxation exercises.2
Medication Choices
Medications used most often to treat panic attacks include the following:8
- Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), such as Prozac, Zoloft, or Paxil
- Benzodiazepines, such as Xanax, Valium, Ativan, or Clonapam.
Medications sometimes used to treat panic disorder include the following:
- Antidepressants with mixed neurotransmitter effects, such as venlafaxine (Effexor)7
- Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), such as Tofranil, Norpramin, or Anafranil
- Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), such as Nardil or Parnate
What To Think About
Panic disorder is best treated with both medications and counselling such as cognitive-behavioural therapy, which focuses on modifying certain thinking and behaviour patterns. When these two therapies are combined, relapses of panic attacks occur far less frequently than when only one treatment is used.11
Your symptoms of panic disorder should start to improve within a few weeks after beginning medications. If improvement is not seen within 6 to 8 weeks, a higher dose or another medication may be needed.10
Most medications used to treat panic attacks need to be continued for a year or longer and then may be decreased gradually over several weeks.12 If you experience panic attacks again while medications are being stopped, the medications may be continued for at least a few months more. Some people may need to stay on medications for a long time to keep symptoms under control.
You may also need to be re-evaluated for other conditions associated with panic disorder, such as depression or substance abuse, because having one of these conditions makes treatment more difficult.8, 1
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| Author: | Douglas Dana Sabra L. Katz-Wise Ralph Poore | Last Updated: January 11, 2007 |
| Medical Review: | Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine Andrew Swan, MD, CCFP, FCFP - Family Medicine Lisa S. Weinstock, MD - Psychiatry | |
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