Decreased plasma cortisol level during alprazolam treatment of panic disorder: a case report.
1. Changes in the plasma cortisol level were reported in a male patient with panic disorder during the period of low-dose alprazolam treatment (mean 0.62 +/- 0.15 mg/day) compared with during the period of high-dose period (mean 1.08 +/- 0.28 mg/day). 2. The plasma cortisol level was significantly higher in the low-dose period (mean 13.90 +/- 3.35 micrograms/ml) than in the high-dose period (mean 9.06 +/- 2.75 micrograms/ml) although, paradoxically, the panic attack frequency was significantly lower in the low-dose period (mean 1.35 +/- 0.29/day) than in the high-dose period (mean 2.09 +/- 0.66/day). 3. Thus, the decreased plasma cortisol level during alprazolam treatment of panic disorder was suggested to be caused not by symptom alleviation due to alprazolam but by alprazolam administration itself.
Fukuda
M
M
Department of Neuropsychiatry, University of Tokyo, Japan.
Takazawa
S
S
Nakagome
K
K
Iwanami
A
A
Hata
A
A
Kasai
K
K
Hiramatsu
K
K
D000328:Adult; D000525:Alprazolam / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006728:Hormones / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy*
D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D006728:Hormones; D006854:Hydrocortisone; D000525:Alprazolam