Treatment of panic-like attacks with a long-acting analogue of somatostatin

Psychiatric evaluations were completed on four patients who were treated for "idiopathic flushing" with a long-acting analogue of somatostatin. All four patients had symptom profiles consistent with a diagnosis of panic disorder. All four experienced clinically significant relief from panic-like attacks while on the experimental medication. These findings suggest a possible role for somatostatin in the pathophysiology and treatment of panic disorder.