Treatment With Panic Attack Medication
Not only are panic attacks a very serious problem in themselves, but they can lead those who suffer from them to curtail their social activities and generally prevent them from carrying out the day to day activities that most of us take for granted. There is panic attack medication which along with therapy can be useful in relieving the symptoms of the disorder and lower the severity and frequency of panic attacks.
There is more than one kind of panic attack medication which can be used to control the symptoms of panic attacks in sufferers and in some cases even prevent most recurrence of these episodes. Another helpful effect of these medications is that they can reduce the fear of having another attack; many sufferers find the constant worrying about the next attack to be worse than the panic attacks themselves when they do occur. These medications include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or SSRIs, which makes larger amounts of serotonin, a neurotransmitter which produces a sense of well-being available. SSRI drugs include Zoloft, Paxil and Prozac, all of which are best known for their use as antidepressant medications. Before SSRIs began being prescribed to people with panic disorders, the tri-cyclic antidepressants were commonly prescribed for treating panic attacks. TCA drugs like Anafranil, Tofranil and Norpramin can be very effective in treating panic disorders, but SSRIs are now preferred since they are generally more easily tolerated by patients than TCAs.
Since these medications do pose a risk for side effects which can be serious, drugs for treating panic attacks should be taken with the close supervision of your physician.
Benzodiazepine drugs are also used as panic attack medication, including the popular anti anxiety medications Valium, Xanax, Klonopin and Ativan. The benzodiazepine family of drugs differs from TCAs and SSRIs in that they can be taken to provide relief for panic attack symptoms as needed rather than being taken daily to in order to effectively relieve the condition.
In a few weeks to a month after beginning to take panic attack medication, the symptoms of the disorder should show noticeable improvement. If this improvement is not seen within two months, then the patient may be prescribed a higher dosage or prescribed a different medication entirely. Generally, medications for treating panic disorders should be taken for a year or more, at which point the dosage may be gradually reduced. If the patient begins having panic attacks after the dosage is reduced, then the patient will usually be prescribed the medication for a few more months or longer. There are some who suffer from panic disorders who have to continue to take panic attack medication for the long term in order to effectively manage their symptoms and lead a normal life.
There is more than one kind of panic attack medication which can be used to control the symptoms of panic attacks in sufferers and in some cases even prevent most recurrence of these episodes. Another helpful effect of these medications is that they can reduce the fear of having another attack; many sufferers find the constant worrying about the next attack to be worse than the panic attacks themselves when they do occur. These medications include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or SSRIs, which makes larger amounts of serotonin, a neurotransmitter which produces a sense of well-being available. SSRI drugs include Zoloft, Paxil and Prozac, all of which are best known for their use as antidepressant medications. Before SSRIs began being prescribed to people with panic disorders, the tri-cyclic antidepressants were commonly prescribed for treating panic attacks. TCA drugs like Anafranil, Tofranil and Norpramin can be very effective in treating panic disorders, but SSRIs are now preferred since they are generally more easily tolerated by patients than TCAs.
Since these medications do pose a risk for side effects which can be serious, drugs for treating panic attacks should be taken with the close supervision of your physician.
Benzodiazepine drugs are also used as panic attack medication, including the popular anti anxiety medications Valium, Xanax, Klonopin and Ativan. The benzodiazepine family of drugs differs from TCAs and SSRIs in that they can be taken to provide relief for panic attack symptoms as needed rather than being taken daily to in order to effectively relieve the condition.
In a few weeks to a month after beginning to take panic attack medication, the symptoms of the disorder should show noticeable improvement. If this improvement is not seen within two months, then the patient may be prescribed a higher dosage or prescribed a different medication entirely. Generally, medications for treating panic disorders should be taken for a year or more, at which point the dosage may be gradually reduced. If the patient begins having panic attacks after the dosage is reduced, then the patient will usually be prescribed the medication for a few more months or longer. There are some who suffer from panic disorders who have to continue to take panic attack medication for the long term in order to effectively manage their symptoms and lead a normal life.
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