Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in the treatment of panic disorder: a systematic review of placebo-controlled studies
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25118/2763-9037.2012.v2.1013Keywords:
serotonin, panic disorderAbstract
Introduction: Panic disorder (PD) is a condition with high prevalence in the population and high morbidity. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are drugs widely used in clinical practice for the treatment of this disorder. Objective: To carry out an updated systematic review of published studies that compare, in a double-blind and randomized way, the effect of SSRIs versus the placebo effect in PD and to describe the mechanism of action of this drug class on anxiety symptoms. Methodology: A systematic review was carried out in Medline/PubMed" and "Web of Science - ISI" databases, using the Mesh terms as search keywords: panic disorder, placebo, fluoxetine, sertraline, paroxetine, citalopram, escitalopram and fluvoxamine. Results: Eleven studies were included, all of which demonstrate the superiority of SSRIs over placebo, despite the fact that a significant placebo effect was observed in patients with PD. Conclusion: The inhibitory action of serotonin on panicogenesis has been confirmed by several studies. SSRIs are one class effective drug for the treatment of PD and placebo-controlled are important for this evaluation. there is no evidence of differential efficacy among drugs in this class. Long-term controlled studies are still needed to assess the effects of continuing these medications for prolonged periods.
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