Breathing Regulation Training for Individuals With Panic Disorder

Status Completed

Clinical Trial Summary

This study will compare two different breathing regulation techniques to determine which is more effective in reducing the rate of panic attacks in people with panic disorder.

Clinical Trial Description

PD is a serious condition characterized by episodes of rapid heart rate, difficulty breathing, and other symptoms of fear. Explanations for panic attacks have been proposed in two theories: suffocation alarm theory and hyperventilation theory. The suffocation alarm theory claims that panic attacks are due to a "suffocation monitor" in the brain, erroneously signaling a lack of useful air. The hyperventilation theory suggests that stressful events cause people to slightly hyperventilate; some people have panic attacks as a result of their overreaction to the dizziness and lightheadedness they feel from hyperventilation. Both theories note the role of carbon dioxide (CO2) in panic attacks; they suggest that rising CO2 levels in arterial blood act as a panic stimulus. This study will compare two types of breathing regulation techniques based on the panic attack theories to determine which is more effective in reducing panic symptoms in people with PD.

This study will last 4 weeks and will include both people with PD and those without the condition. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: raise-CO2 breathing, lower-CO2 breathing, or a control group. Participants in both the raise-CO2 and lower-CO2 breathing groups will have five sessions of training in which they will learn specific breathing techniques. Participants in the raise-CO2 group will be taught techniques to recover from hyperventilation faster; participants in the lower-CO2 group will be taught techniques to reach hyperventilation levels, then switch to breathing techniques that reduce hyperventilation symptoms. Participants in the control group will not be taught any breathing techniques but will be included in all assessments.

Participants will be assessed at study entry, during each breathing training session, and at Months 1 and 6 after the study. During each assessment, questionnaires and self-report scales will be used to measure cognitive, psychological, and physiological changes related to participants' breathing. ;

Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Open Label, Primary Purpose: Treatment

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

Panic Disorder

Clinical Trial Details

NCT number	NCT00183521
Study type	Interventional
Source	Stanford University
Contact
Status	Completed
Phase	N/A
Start date	March 2005
Completion date	November 2008

View Details

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Clinical trials are conducted in a series of steps, called phases - each phase is designed to answer a separate research question.

Phase 1: Researchers test a new drug or treatment in a small group of people for the first time to evaluate its safety, determine a safe dosage range, and identify side effects.
Phase 2: The drug or treatment is given to a larger group of people to see if it is effective and to further evaluate its safety.
Phase 3: The drug or treatment is given to large groups of people to confirm its effectiveness, monitor side effects, compare it to commonly used treatments, and collect information that will allow the drug or treatment to be used safely.
Phase 4: Studies are done after the drug or treatment has been marketed to gather information on the drug's effect in various populations and any side effects associated with long-term use.