Study, Feb./17: "Drug-induced panic attacks..."

The full title of this French study is "Drug-induced panic attacks: Analysis of cases registered in the French pharmacovigilance database". I think it's an important study to look at, since, according to the conclusions, the panic attacks "mostly occur in patients without any psychiatric medical history..." These panic attacks are properly referred to as "iatrogenic", i.e. caused by the medical examination or treatment.

 

 

"BACKGROUND:  The potential role of drugs in the onset of panic attacks (PAs) is poorly understood."

 

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"CONCLUSION:  This is the first pharmacoepidemiological study about iatrogenic PAs. Beside antidepressants, the most often encountered drugs are not indicated for psychiatric diseases. This study also reveals that iatrogenic PAs mostly occur in patients without any psychiatric medical history and that PAs can be triggered by another ADR (adverse drug reaction). Lastly, the many cases with delayed management underline the need to raise awareness of this relatively unknown ADR among physicians, especially since PAs are generally not labelled in SmPCs of the suspected drugs."

 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28231495

Lapis, I was surprised that benzos weren't even mentioned! Time and time again, it seems as if the nasty benzo never gets caught. Instead, everything around it is implicated!! 

Yes, Terry, benzos ARE mentioned! It's right here:

 

"In 13 cases (8.0%), PAs occurred during a drug-withdrawal syndrome, mainly after benzodiazepines or opioids. Most cases (73%) involved patients without any previous psychiatric disorder."

Oops, my bad. Well, I'm glad it's in there!! Thanks!! 

I'm just glad to see a study where there's an admittance of the drug causing an adverse reaction like a panic attack. They could easily say the patients had psychological problems, but in this case, they admit the panic attacks were iatrogenic.

Thanks for bringing this up. Due to a lot of IBS-type issues in my life, before benzos, I was prescribed dicyclomine for the nervous stomach a few times. I've taken it several times in my life and had to stop because it would make me feel dizzy, drowsy and funny. It did relieve stomach cramps, but there were definitely some highly unpleasant side effects from these. I had a few really nasty panic attacks from those and never took them again. I was eating my lunch and thought I was going to pass out once. Feeling woozy for almost 8 hours just to relieve stomach pain was unacceptable.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dicycloverine

All medications can have side effects. It's a given, and it's always a balancing act between desired action and side effects. And everyone metabolizes meds differently. But if doctors don't admit a particular medication can even have a particular side effect, then it puts the patient in a terrible position. At least this study illuminates what's going on.

 

 

thank you - sharing on BIC page - you find the best stuff!

You're very welcome! Glad to share.