The treatment of comorbid premature ejaculation and panic disorder with fluoxetine

Premature ejaculation is a common sexual disturbance among men. Both open-label and double-blind studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of serotonergic medications for this disorder. These studies support the hypothesis that the serotonergic system has an important role in the modulation of sexual response, especially attainment of orgasm. Serotonergic dysfunction also has been linked to the pathogenesis of panic disorder. Several studies have demonstrated the efficacy of serotonergic drugs in this disorder. The purpose of the present study was to examine the efficacy of fluoxetine, a serotonin selective reuptake inhibitor for the treatment of comorbid premature ejaculation and panic disorder, in 10 men in an open-label design. The patients were given 20 mg of fluoxetine for 8 weeks of the study. Parameters pertaining to sexual function and measures of anxiety were examined. Improvement of premature ejaculation was noted as of week 2 of the study, whereas measures of panic and sexual satisfaction became statistically significant only as of week 4. Further studies with larger samples and longer periods of follow-up are needed in order to determine the usefulness of fluoxetine for the treatment of comorbid premature ejaculation and panic disorder.