Panic attacks in the differential diagnosis and treatment of resistant epilepsy.
The authors present four patients displaying panic disorder and a history of epileptic seizures to illustrate difficulties regarding differential diagnosis between epileptic seizures and panic attacks. The cases describe the aversive properties of epileptic seizures, the role of visual seizure-triggering stimuli as phobic cues, and the effectiveness and safety of clomipramine treatment of panic attacks as an adjunct to concurrent antiepileptic medication.
Anxiety Clinics, Institute of Psychiatry Medical School, University of São Paulo, Brazil. bernikma@ax.apc.org
Márcio A
MA
Bernik
Fábio M
FM
Corregiari
Ivan Mário
IM
Braun
D000328:Adult; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002997:Clomipramine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002998:Clonazepam / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis*
D000927:Anticonvulsants; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic; D002998:Clonazepam; D002997:Clomipramine