Description of antipanic therapy in a prospective longitudinal study.
The authors present a summary scale for assessing the percentage of patients in a large longitudinal study of panic disorder who received proven effective psychopharmacologic treatment. Such a scale provides a means for assessing and comparing somatic treatments of panic disorder across medication classes. The antipanic therapy levels were applied to data on medication treatment received by 492 patients participating in a naturalistic study and reflect psychopharmacologic treatment prescribed in 11 academic centers. Results show that among patients treated by psychiatrists at major teaching hospitals only 54% of the most symptomatic groups received optimal pharmacologic treatment. Among less symptomatic patients, who nonetheless met full criteria for panic disorder with or without agoraphobia, only 43% received maximal therapy.
Yonkers
K A
KA
Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas 75235-9101, USA.
Ellison
J M
JM
Shera
D M
DM
Pratt
L A
LA
Cole
J O
JO
Fierman
E
E
Keller
M B
MB
Lavori
P W
PW
D000328:Adult; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008404:Massachusetts; D008875:Middle Aged; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents