The effect of long-term imipramine treatment on carbon dioxide-induced anxiety in panic disorder patients.
The authors examined whether long-term treatment with imipramine would decrease CO2-induced anxiety in 10 patients with panic disorder. The patients underwent CO2 testing after single-blind placebo testing and again after imipramine treatment. Scores on self-rated visual analog mood scales and panic attack symptom scales showed that the anxiogenic effects of CO2 were significantly reduced during long-term imipramine treatment. These results suggest that the mechanisms underlying CO2-induced anxiety may be similar to those involved in the pathophysiology of panic disorder.
Woods
S W
SW
Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit, Ribicoff Research Facilities, Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven 06508.
Charney
D S
DS
Delgado
P L
PL
Heninger
G R
GR
D000328:Adult; D000379:Agoraphobia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007099:Imipramine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D010200:Panic / Q000187:drug effects; D010919:Placebos; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D016037:Single-Blind Method
D010919:Placebos; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D007099:Imipramine