Anxiety disorders affect approximately 40 million adults in the United States each year, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Many of these individuals suffer from anxiety attacks, also referred to as panic attacks. These attacks are characterized by sudden terror, and are often accompanied by a racing heart, faintness, dizziness or excessive sweating. Many people believe will lose control or even die when experiencing these attacks. Although counseling can be useful in treating this condition, medications also may prove beneficial.
Benzodiazpines
Benzodiazipine are central nervous system depressants, and act as mild sedatives. Emergency room professionals often give a benzodiazepine to people who display signs and symptoms of a panic attack, notes MayoClinic.com. Although these medications can quickly induce feelings of calmness, they also have the potential of causing unwelcome side effects. These medications also may become habit-forming when taken in high doses or for a long time. Alprazolam and clonazepam are two specific benzodiazepine medications approved for the treatment of panic attacks.
Antidepressants
Antidepressants begin to alter the chemicals in the brain after the first dose, but generally take 4 to 6 weeks to fully work at relieving the symptoms of anxiety, explains the National Institute of Mental Health. Although taking antidepressant medications can prove useful as a long-term treatment to prevent future anxiety attacks, they are not the best choice to treat current attacks. Antidepressants prescribed for panic disorder include the medications fluoxetine, sertraline, paroxetine, venlafaxine, imipramine, phenelzine, tranylcypromine and isocarboxazidand.
Beta-Blockers
Beta-blockers can prevent the physical symptoms that occur with anxiety. Taking these medications before a feared situation or event helps to keep the physical symptoms of anxiety under control and may prevent an anxiety attack. The medications propranolol and atenolol treat anxiety, according to HelpGuide.org. However, these medications have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for anxiety or panic disorder treatment, and doctors prescribing these medications for anxiety are doing so "off-label."
