Panic Disorder
- Panic Attack
- Panic Disorder
- Recurrent Panic Attacks
- Anticipatory Anxiety
- Agoraphobia
- Hypochondriasis
- Demoralisation
- Epidemiology
- Age of Onset
- Situation of Onset
- Stressful Life Events
- Early Life Events
- Maternal Over-Protection
- Separation Anxiety
- Short and Long-term Outcomes
- Comorbidity
- Panic Disorder: Pathogenesis
- Biological Findings
- Provocative Agents
- Neurotransmitter Systems
- Neuroanatomical Models
- Brain Imaging
- Psychological Models
- Psychodynamic Models
- Behavioural Models
- Cognitive Models
- Areas of Controversy and Debate
- The Evolutionary Perspective
- Panic Disorder: Treatment
- Pharmacotherapy
- Benzodiazepines
- Tricyclic Antidepressants
- Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors
- Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitors
- Other Drugs
- Psychotherapy
Benzodiazepines (BDZs): Anxiety, Medication and Side Effects
Among BDZs, alprazolam and clonazepam have been reported to be efficacious in the treatment of PD. They maintain their efficacy as antipanic agents during chronic therapy. Significant tolerance to the therapeutic effects does not appear to occur, with lower doses often employed during maintenance treatment. Relapse rates are high when BDZs are withdrawn, while many patients experience withdrawal syndrome even during a slow tapering off of the drug.
In BDZ-dependent patients, withdrawal reactions were observed in the majority of patients following abrupt discontinuation of the drug. The effects of BDZ withdrawal are well recognised. Although a high dose and long duration of BDZ administration are most often associated with withdrawal syndromes, even normal or low doses and short-term therapy are implicated in withdrawal phenomena. Experiencing withdrawal effects of BDZs could lead to reinstitution of the drug and therefore reinforcing dependence. According to the authors, BDZ should be prescribed only for sporadic, symptomatic use.