Fifty-five patients with moderate to severe panic disorder were treated for 9 weeks with alprazolam or imipramine and were then, except for one patient who had committed suicide, re-examined after on average 3 years of treatment. At follow-up most patients (74%) did not suffer from panic attacks at all. In the beginning of the study 87% exhibited phobic avoidance behaviour but after 3 years 68% no longer revealed phobic behaviour. At follow-up 28% of the patients were no longer having psychotropic drug treatment and 20% were completely free of overt psychopathology. No tolerance phenomena were associated with the long-term medication applied in the study.

Short-term treatment with alprazolam or imipramine effectively reduces panic attacks and phobic avoidance behavior in panic disorder patients, with no tolerance phenomena observed.

Paper

Three‐year follow‐up of patients with panic disorder after short‐term treatment with alprazolam and imipramine

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