Premenstrual dysphoric disorder. A guide for the treating clinician

Up to 75% of women report some premenstrual symptoms, but less than 10% have symptoms severe enough to qualify for a diagnosis of PMDD. A key to diagnosis is establishing a pattern of typical PMDD symptoms that recur during the late luteal phase of the menstrual cycle and remit after menses. Underlying psychiatric and medical disorders that might mimic PMDD should be ruled out or addressed. The clinician should recognize that severe PMS and PMDD are most likely caused by sensitivity to hormonal cycling rather than an abnormality of hormone levels. Current treatment is based on the hypothesis that serotonin depletion is responsible for the premenstrual irritability, dysphoria, and poor impulse control in PMDD. There is some evidence that GABA, endogenous opiates, allopregenolone, and various vitamins and minerals might play roles in severe PMS and PMDD. Treatment with oral contraceptives or supplementary progesterone or estrogen has not been effective. For the treating clinician, a reasonable approach to the patient with severe PMS or PMDD is shown in Table 2.