Abstract
Valproic acid (VA), an anticonvulsant which increases GABAergic transmission was given to patients suffering from recurrent panic attacks. Ten consecutive outpatients were included in this study. After a seven day placebo washout period, patients were given a dose of 500 mg/day, which was gradually increased to a maximum of 2250 mg/day. A significant improvement was found in the symptomatology of patients as measured on the Clinical Global Impression Scale for panic severity (p < 0.001), the Hamilton Psychiatric Rating Scale for Anxiety (p < 0.001) and the panic factor of the SCL-90 (p < 0.05). These findings support the hypothesis that VA is useful in the treatment of panic disorders. Further research should be carried out to assess its efficacy and safety.