Panic Attack Medication


If you have been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder or panic attacks your doctor may discuss with you the option of treating your symptoms with drugs. The decision to use a particular panic attack medication is a personal one that should be made after careful research and consideration. There are five main types of drugs that are commonly used to treat panic attacks and anxiety including beta blockers, tricyclic antidepressants, benzodiazepines, monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI’s) and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).
Beta blockers include atenolol (Tenormin) and propranolol (Inderal) and are helpful in controlling the physical symptoms of panic attacks such as trembling or a rapid heartbeat. They also produce fewer side effects when compared to other medications but can still cause drowsiness, insomnia, diarrhoea and short term memory loss.
Tricyclic antidepressants include imipramine (Tofranil), venlaxfaxine (Effexor), clomipramine (Anafranil), desipramine (norpramin) and nortriptyline (Aventyl). These drugs are used to treat both depression and panic attacks and can cause constipation, weight gain, dry mouth, difficulty urinating and disturbed sleep patterns as side effects.
Benzodiazepines include chlordiazepoxide (Librium), alprazolam (Xanax), diazepam (Valium), clonazepam (Klonopin) and oxazepam (Serax). They have proven to be effective in reducing the symptoms of panic attacks in over 70 percent of patients and can be taken for an extended period of time. Side effects include irritability, drowsiness, decreased libido and slurred speech.
MAOI’s include phenelzine (Nardil) and tranlcypromine (Parnate). Like tricyclic antidepressants they are also used to treat panic attacks as well as depression. They can produce weight gain, a dry mouth, low blood pressure and a disturbed sleep pattern as side effects.
SSRI’s include sertraline (Zoloft), fluvoxamine (Luvox), fluoxetine (prozac) and paroxetine (Paxil). They are the most recent type of panic attack medication and work by assisting the brain to maintain a higher level of serotonin, which is often low in people suffering from depression. Side effects include headaches, decreased libido, nausea and possibly agitation.
The decision to begin using any type of panic attack medication should not be made lightly. Many of these drugs will take a period of time before any benefit can be seen and will likewise need a certain period of time before you can stop using them. It is important to raise any concerns you have with your doctor before beginning any sort of treatment.

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