• Anxiety and mood
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.17-21
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• 2006

SSRIs have been considered as the first line of treatment for patients with panic disorder since 1990s along with cognitive behavioral treatments. High potency benzodiazepines (e.g. alprazolam, clonazepam) have had advantages in anti-panic effects. However, these drugs have limitations of treating panic disorder because of their dependency, tolerance and withdrawal. Serotonin and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) such as venlafaxine were introduced as antidepressants since 1990s. Recently, it is confirmed that SNRIs have the remarkable anti-panic effects although some concerns about its cost, tolerance, withdrawal, side effects such as dry mouth, constipation, and hypertension have emerged. In this regard, further study is required to confirm the efficacy of long term treatment of panic disorder. Despite these concerns, venla-faxine extended-release is an effective treatment in patients with panic disorder.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.95-101
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• 2021

Patients complaining with somatic symptoms are very common in clinical practice, and are often consulted to medical department. But it is difficult to treat well. The treatment of somatic symptom disorder is multi-modal as none of the methods on their own provide a satisfactory outcome. The treatment of somatic symptoms disorders is complicated by lack of boundary, conceptual clarity, and overemphasis on psychosocial causation and effectiveness of psychological treatments. In clinical practice all classes of psychotropics are used to treat somatic symptoms disorder. Drugs such as tricyclic antidepressants, serotonin reuptake inibitors(SSRI), serotonin and noradrenalin reuptake inhibitors (SNRI), atypical antipsychotics are studied. The evidence indicates that these drugs are effective in somatic symptom disorders. All classes of antidepressants seem to be effective against somatic symptom disorders. SSRIs are more effective against hypochondriasis and body dysmorphic disorder, and SNRIs appear to be more effective than other antidepressants when pain is predominant. The author suggest that psychiatrists should know how to treat patients complaining with somatic symptoms by using not only psychotherapeutic approach but also pharmacological treatment. It will be helpful to reduce suffering and increase quality of life of these patients.