Sleep disturbances in patients treated for panic disorder.
OBJECTIVE
Disturbed night sleep is a common complaint of patients with panic disorder. The aim of the present study was to demonstrate whether the sleep disturbances can be successively influenced by the standard therapy for treating panic disorder.


METHODS
Psychiatric examinations of 20 outpatients with panic disorder were supplemented with a study of sleep quality using standardised interviews, sleep logs and polysomnographic recordings.


RESULTS
A statistical comparison of data showed that reduced anxiety after successful treatment of panic disorder was not necessarily followed by improved sleep parameters.


CONCLUSIONS
The results suggest that the conventional therapy applied to these patients is not sufficient to treat the co-existing insomnia. Consequently, it seems to be of importance to supplement the treatment of panic disorders with specific treatment of the sleep disturbance.
Cervena
Katerina
K
Prague Psychiatric Center, 3rd Medical Faculty, Charles University, Ustavni 91, 181 03 Prague 8, Czech Republic. cervena@pcp.lf3.cuni.cz
Matousek
Milos
M
Prasko
Jan
J
Brunovsky
Martin
M
Paskova
Beata
B
D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D004569:Electroencephalography; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D017286:Polysomnography; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012894:Sleep Stages; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires