These drugs were better tolerated than tricyclics and benzodiazepines as they had a low risk of dependence and overdosing complications .
The serotonergic , noradrenergic and GABAergic pathways play a major role in the fear network and in the physiopathology of PD .
INTRODUCTION Panic disorder ( PD ) is a prevalent psychiatric disorder characterized by unexpected and recurrent panic attacks .
PD patients present significant psychosocial impairment and a high risk of psychiatric comorbidities and suicide .
PD should be treated effectively as soon as the symptoms emerge because the longer these patients remain without treatment , the worse the prognosis will be .
SSRIs and SNRIs are the first-line compounds in the treatment of PD .
Efficacy and tolerability of controlled-release paroxetine in the treatment of panic disorder.
OBJECTIVE To assess the efficacy and tolerability of controlled-release paroxetine ( paroxetine CR ) in the treatment of adults with panic disorder . METHOD  Paroxetine CR ( 25 - 75 mg/day ; N = 444 ) was compared with  placebo ( N = 445 ) in patients with DSM-IV panic disorder with or without agoraphobia in 3 identical , double-blind , placebo-controlled , 10-week clinical trials that were pooled for analysis . RESULTS Paroxetine CR was statistically superior to placebo in the primary outcome measure , percentage of patients who were free of panic attacks in the 2 weeks prior to endpoint . Of the total population that completed or prematurely terminated treatment , 63 % and 53 % of paroxetine CR- and placebo-treated patients , respectively , were panic-free during the final 2 weeks ( p < .005 ; odds ratio [ OR ] = 1.63 ; 95 % CI = 1.21 to 2.19 ) . For week 10 completers ( 72 % of total ) , 73 % and 60 % of paroxetine CR- and placebo-treated patients , respectively , were panic-free at week 10 ( p < .005 ; OR = 2.11 ; 95 % CI = 1.45 to 3.07 ) . Paroxetine CR was also statistically superior to placebo on the global improvement and severity items of the Clinical Global Impressions scale and in reducing anxiety symptoms as measured by the Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety total score and total fear and avoidance on the Marks-Sheehan Phobia Scale . Adverse events leading to study withdrawal were minimal and occurred in 11 % of the paroxetine CR group and 6 % of the placebo group . Most of the treatment-emergent adverse events were rated as mild to moderate in severity and occurred early in the study . There were no unexpected adverse events , and serious adverse events were uncommon ( 10 [ 2.3 % ] of the 444 patients treated with paroxetine CR vs. 8 [ 1.8 % ] of the 445 patients treated with placebo ) . CONCLUSION Paroxetine CR is an effective and well-tolerated treatment for panic disorder . Paroxetine CR is associated with low rates of treatment-emergent anxiety as well as low dropout rates from adverse events
These drugs were better tolerated than tricyclics and benzodiazepines as they had a low risk of dependence and overdosing complications .
The serotonergic , noradrenergic and GABAergic pathways play a major role in the fear network and in the physiopathology of PD .
INTRODUCTION Panic disorder ( PD ) is a prevalent psychiatric disorder characterized by unexpected and recurrent panic attacks .
PD patients present significant psychosocial impairment and a high risk of psychiatric comorbidities and suicide .
PD should be treated effectively as soon as the symptoms emerge because the longer these patients remain without treatment , the worse the prognosis will be .
SSRIs and SNRIs are the first-line compounds in the treatment of PD .