Clonazepam blockade of spontaneous and CO2 inhalation-provoked panic in a patient with panic disorder.
A 30-year-old woman with panic disorder and phobic avoidance responded partially to treatment with alprazolam but recovered fully while receiving clonazepam, which blocked her panic attacks and anticipatory anxiety. Before treatment, the patient underwent a carbon dioxide inhalation test as a challenge and sustained a full-featured panic attack. After clonazepam therapy and retesting under identical conditions, no panic attack was reported. This is the first report of provoked panic blocked by clonazepam, a putative, clinically effective antipanic agent.
D000328:Adult; D000525:Alprazolam; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001569:Benzodiazepines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001570:Benzodiazepinones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002998:Clonazepam / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005239:Fear / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010200:Panic / Q000187:drug effects*
D001570:Benzodiazepinones; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D002998:Clonazepam; D000525:Alprazolam