Duloxetine in the treatment of panic disorder

Abstract

An extensive list of medications for the treatment of panic disorder (PD) was made available in recent years, including the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), tricyclic antidepressants, and benzodiazepines. However, both SSRIs and tricyclics have an initial activation and a long latency period of response, while benzodiazepines may induce abusive utilization or sedation. Duloxetine is a new drug with selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SSNRI) antidepressant profile. The efficacy of this agent in the treatment of a broad spectrum of symptoms associated with depression, including anxiety and physical symptoms (Dunner et al., 2003) suggests that this compound may be effective in the treatment of PD. We report for the fist time, to our knowledge, a case of a patient with PD successfully treated with duloxetine as evaluated by standardized clinical rating scales.