Clonidine in respiratory panic disorder subtype.
OBJECTIVE
Clonidine, which inhibits locus coeruleus discharge, would seem for theoretical reasons to be a good antipanic drug. Panic disorder (PD) presents a heterogeneous cluster of symptoms and a classification based on subtypes has been suggested and the respiratory symptoms group appears as a distinct subtype.


METHODS
We report three cases of respiratory PD patients who were successfully treated with clonidine.


RESULTS
Patients obtained panic free status, reduced anxiety levels and better functioning after clonidine administration (0.30-0.45 mg/day) for 6 weeks.


CONCLUSIONS
Clonidine can be effective in the treatment of respiratory PD. This drug might play a role in relieving symptoms of anxiety due to noradrenergic hyperactivity in these patients.
Laboratory of Panic & Respiration, Institute of Psychiatry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. avalen@uol.com.br
Alexandre M
AM
Valença
Antonio E
AE
Nardi
Marco A
MA
Mezzasalma
Isabella
I
Nascimento
Fabiana L
FL
Lopes
Walter A
WA
Zin
Marcio
M
Versiani
D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000328:Adult; D003000:Clonidine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D012120:Respiration Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology
D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists; D003000:Clonidine