Panic disorder is a chronic, disabling condition that will affect 3 to 6 million Americans at some time in their lives. Paxil is the first and only antidepressant indicated for treating panic disorder and the first new drug therapy to be cleared for panic disorder in nearly a decade.
Panic disorder is characterized by recurrent panic attacks.
A panic attack is a sudden, unprovoked episode in which sufferers experience physical symptoms such as a racing, pounding heartbeat, chest pain, breathlessness, and choking and may fear they are losing control or are in imminent danger of dying. Yet, panic attacks and panic disorder are found in people of all ages. Despite its prevalence, panic disorder is underdiagnosed, according to the National Institute of Mental Health, which estimates that only one out of three panic disorder sufferers have been correctly diagnosed and treated. Paxil was well tolerated in clinical trials. Advantages of Paxil For many years, the only drug indicated for panic disorder was the benzodiazepine tranquilizer alprazolam.