A controlled study of alprazolam and propranolol in panic-disordered and agoraphobic outpatients.
We studied the efficacy of propranolol (Inderal) compared to alprazolam (Xanax) in 29 patients with a diagnosis of agoraphobia with panic disorder or panic disorder with or without limited phobic avoidance in a 6-week double-blind controlled experiment. Alprazolam is effective in those syndromes, whereas to date only negative or ambiguous results had been reported for propranolol. Fourteen patients received a mean daily dose of 5.0 +/- 2.3 mg of alprazolam and 15 patients received 182.0 +/- 60.5 mg mean daily dose of propranolol. We found both drugs to be effective to suppress panic attacks and reduce avoidance behavior. The only significant between-drug difference was a more rapid onset of alprazolam's panicolytic effect. Propranolol merits further study. We suggest patients worthy of a clinical trial.
Ravaris
C L
CL
Department of Psychiatry, Dartmouth Medical School, Hanover, New Hampshire.
Friedman
M J
MJ
Hauri
P J
PJ
McHugo
G J
GJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000379:Agoraphobia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D000525:Alprazolam / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010200:Panic / Q000187:drug effects; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D010552:Personality Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011433:Propranolol / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011594:Psychometrics
D011433:Propranolol; D000525:Alprazolam