Panic and phobic disorders--are psychological or pharmacological treatments effective?

Panic disorder with or without phobic avoidance has recently been delineated as a distinct nosological entity. Several controlled studies have demonstrated the efficacy of various pharmacological agents in controlling panic attacks. Behaviour therapy, especially desensitisation, is of value in alleviating phobic avoidance but has not yet been shown to be effective in the alleviation of panic attacks. No systematic studies comparing pharmacological and psychological treatments in panic disorder are available.