An antidepressant-the answer is a. this patient is showing evidence of panic disorder. panic disorder is characterized by panic attacks, which include increased heart rate, dizziness, sweating, shortness of breath, and fainting, and the conviction that one is about to die. attacks commonly occur twice weekly, last about 30 minutes, and are most common in young women, such as this patient. while the most effective immediate treatment for this patient is a benzodiazepine because it works quickly, the most effective long-term (maintenance) treatment is an antidepressant, particularly a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (ssri) such as paroxetine (paxil).
