Key result
Alprazolam linked to halved panic frequency in ~88% of patients with atypical chest pain.
Why the study?
Does alprazolam improve anxiety, depression, and panic symptoms in cardiology patients with atypical chest pain and panic disorder?
Does alprazolam improve anxiety, depression, and panic symptoms in cardiology patients with atypical chest pain and panic disorder?
Alprazolam may be beneficial for reducing anxiety, depression, and panic frequency in patients with atypical chest pain and panic disorder without coronary artery disease.
May reduce panic symptoms in select patients; leaves open confirmation via randomized trials before practice change.
Ten cardiology chest pain patients without clinical evidence of coronary artery disease and with panic disorder were enrolled in an open label trial of alprazolam. Two dropped out at week 3 because of excessive side effects. The eight study completers showed significant decreases in both Hamilton Anxiety and Hamilton Depression scales by week 2 that remained significant by week 8. On the physician's global impression of change since baseline, all completers were rated at least "much improved." Seven experienced a 50% or greater reduction in panic frequency at week 8 compared to baseline. These results suggest that alprazolam is likely to be of benefit to this patient population.
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Beitman et al. (1988) studied Atypical chest pain and panic disorder (n=10). Alprazolam was evaluated on 50% or greater reduction in panic frequency at week 8. Alprazolam treatment in patients with atypical chest pain and panic disorder resulted in 7 of 8 completers (87.5%) experiencing a ≥50% reduction in panic frequency at 8 weeks.
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