Panic attacks in patients with chronic schizophrenia: A complication of long‐term neuroleptic treatment

• Published in: Psychiatry and clinical neurosciences Vol. 53; no. 1; pp. 91 - 94
• Main Authors: Higuchi, Hisashi, Kamata, Mitsuhiro, Yoshimoto, Masaki, Shimisu, Tetsuo, Hishikawa, Yasuo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Melbourne, Australia Blackwell Science Pty 01.02.1999; Blackwell Publishing
• Subjects: Adult; Antipsychotic Agents - administration & dosage; Antipsychotic Agents - adverse effects; Biological and medical sciences; Biperiden - administration & dosage; Chlorpromazine - administration & dosage; Chronic Disease; depression; Depression - etiology; Drug toxicity and drugs side effects treatment; Female; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; neuroleptics; panic attack; Panic Disorder - chemically induced; Panic Disorder - diagnosis; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Prevalence; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; schizophrenia; Schizophrenia - drug therapy; Statistics, Nonparametric; Toxicity: nervous system and muscle; Human; Panic; Neuroleptic; Psychotropic; Toxicity; Anxiety disorder; Schizophrenia; Long term; Posology; Psychosis; Chemotherapy; Treatment; Risk factor
• DOI: 10.1046/j.1440-1819.1999.00477.x
• ISSN: 1323-1316

Panic attacks meeting the diagnostic criteria for panic disorder (DSM‐III‐R) were found in nine (20%) of 45 patients suffering chronic schizophrenia for more than 5 years. The scores of the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and the Simpson Angus Scale were significantly higher in the group of patients with panic attacks. They also tended to be taking neuroleptics in larger doses than in the other group. The present report suggests that long‐term treatment with neuroleptics is closely related to the manifestation of panic attacks in chronic schizophrenia. It also suggests that when panic attacks are seen frequently in patients taking high doses of neuroleptics, dose reduction of neuroleptics should be considered.