Specific effects of benzodiazepines and tricyclic antidepressants in panic disorder: comparisons of clomipramine with alprazolam SR and adinazolam SR
✍ Scribed by Robert L. Holland; Bruno C. Musch; Ian Hindmarch
- Publisher
- John Wiley and Sons
- Year
- 1999
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 91 KB
- Volume
- 14
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0885-6222
No coin nor oath required. For personal study only.
✦ Synopsis
In order to compare the ecacy and safety of tricyclic antidepressants and benzodiazepines in panic disorder, with or without agoraphobia, two studies were carried out comparing clomipramine with alprazolam sustained release (SR) or with adinazolam SR. Two hundred and ®fty-seven patients received alprazolam SR (2±6 mg/day given in two divided daily doses) or clomipramine (50±150 mg/day given in two divided daily doses) for 12 weeks in a single-blind, randomised, multicentre study and 347 patients received adinazolam SR (30±90 mg/day given in two divided daily doses) or clomipramine (50±150 mg/day given in two divided daily doses) for 24 weeks in a double-blind, randomised, multicentre study. Both benzodiazepines showed an earlier onset of therapeutic ecacy than clomipramine. At the end of the treatment periods, however, clomipramine was equally as eective as alprazolam SR and more eective than adinazolam SR. Withdrawal problems were also somewhat less common with clomipramine than with alprazolam SR and adinazolam SR. Both benzodiazepines were clearly better tolerated than clomipramine. The rate of premature withdrawal was also notably higher with clomipramine than with alprazolam SR. In conclusion, the benzodiazepines alprazolam and adinazolam SR are better tolerated than the tricyclic antidepressant clomipramine in the treatment of panic disorder, but have no advantages in terms of ecacy.