Citation

Deci PA, Lydiard RB, Santos AB, Arana GW. J. Clin. Psychiatry 1992; 53(5): 163-165.

Affiliation

Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston 29425.

Comment In:

J Clin Psychiatry 1995;56(11):533.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1992, Physicians Postgraduate Press)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

1592843

Abstract

Panic disorder, a severe anxiety disorder, affects 1-2% of the general population, mostly women 20-40 years old. A 29-year-old married white women with no children presented with an 18-month history of panic attacks. Episodes of abrupt anxiety lasted 5-20 minutes and occurred 3-4 times per week accompanied by rapid heart rate, shortness of breath, dizziness, and a fear of losing control. She was evaluated by a cardiologist several months earlier for episodic tachycardia, but the tests were normal. She was taking .5 mg of lorazepam po 2-3 times per month, which relieved her anxiety. Her only other medication was 1 tablet/day of Triphasal oral contraceptive (OC). She was started on treatment with desipramine 10 mg, and the dose gradually increased to 60 mg/day which she was unable to tolerate because of marked anorexia; lorazepam .5 mg bid and 10.5-mg tablet p.r.n. was continued to address excess activation secondary to the tricyclic depressant. She had changed from a constant dose OC (Lo/Ovral) to a triphasic preparation (Triphasil) 6 months prior to the onset of her panic attacks. The OC was halted, and she has experienced no subsequent panic attacks or avoidance behaviors during 2 years of follow-up. In the 2nd case a 39-year-old married white woman with 3 children presented with a 3-year history of panic attacks. She was given Ortho-Novum 7/7/7 1 tablet/day for about 8 months prior to her 1st panic attack, which occurred while she was driving. Her medications were clorazepate 3.75 mg b.i. d. and Ortho-Novum 7/7/7 1 tablet g.d. for 21 days of each month; she had been taking both since October 1984. Her father and brother had exhibited some driving avoidance behaviors. Because the triphasic OC preparation possible precipitated her panic disorder with agoraphobia, she was changed to Ortho-Novum 1/35 OC which has markedly improved her anxiety for 2 years now.

Language: en