Eleven patients with panic disorder or agoraphobia with panic attacks
completed an 8-week single-blind trial of trazodone (300 mg/day) without
concurrent behavioral instructions. The measures of change included ratings
of generalized and panic anxiety, phobias, and depression and a behavioral
avoidance test, which were administered during a baseline period of placebo
administration and at 4 and 8 weeks of the trial. There was significant
improvement on all symptom dimensions, which suggests that trazodone may
have specific antipanic and antiphobic actions and underscores the
importance of serotonergic mechanisms in these anxiety disorders.Abstract Teaser