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.
Bernik
Márcio A
MA
Anxiety Clinics, Institute of Psychiatry Medical School, University of São Paulo, Brazil. bernikma@ax.apc.org
Corregiari
Fábio M
FM
Braun
Ivan Mário
IM
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