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To: Anthony Wong who wrote (1061)11/16/1998 2:51:00 PM
From: Anthony Wong  Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 1722
 
Study Shows Prozac Can Reduce Symptoms Of Panic Disorder

INDIANAPOLIS, IN -- Nov. 16, 1998 -- A study published in this month's
issue of The American Journal of Psychiatry provides data that Eli Lilly and
Co.'s Prozac(R) (fluoxetine hydrochloride) significantly reduced the symptoms of
panic disorder, a potentially debilitating illness that affects up to three million
adults each year in the United States.

Researchers found that Prozac not only reduced panic attack symptoms but also
phobic symptoms, anxiety and depressive symptoms. The strong correlation
between overall improvement in panic disorder and improvement in individual
symptoms suggests that improvement in panic attack frequency alone is less
important than changes in multiple symptoms of the disorder.

The placebo-controlled study is the first known published data of its kind to
examine Prozac's role in the treatment of panic disorder. Prozac currently is
indicated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of
depression, obsessive compulsive disorder and bulimia nervosa.

Panic disorder includes recurrent unexpected panic attacks and can include a
significant change in behaviour related to the attacks and excessive worry
regarding implications of the attacks. At least 1.6 percent of adults in the U.S., or
nearly three million people, will suffer from panic disorder at some point in their
lives, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.

Additionally, the National Mental Health Association estimates that
approximately 50 percent of all people who suffer from panic disorder develop
the condition prior to age 24. Women are twice as likely as men to suffer from
panic disorder.

"Prozac proved an effective, well-tolerated agent for the treatment of panic
disorder," said David Michelson, M.D., a clinical research physician at Lilly and
lead author of the study. "Although reduction in panic attack frequency is a
component of Prozac's therapeutic effect, the effect on phobic avoidance,
anxiety and depressive symptoms also appear to be critical factors in clinical
improvement."

The multi-site trial examined 243 patients diagnosed with panic disorder. The
subjects were randomly assigned to daily treatment with 10 milligrams of Prozac,
20 milligrams of Prozac or placebo. Patients completing 10 weeks of acute
treatment entered a 24-week continuation phase, with patients randomised to
continued therapy with the acute phase dose or placebo.

Patients were assessed weekly for the first two weeks of the acute phase, and at
four-week intervals for the remainder of the study. Primary measures were
change in total panic attack frequency, clinician-rated CGI-improvement scores,
clinician and patient-rated panic and phobic disorder scales (PPDS), Hamilton
Anxiety rating scale (HAM-A), Hamilton Depression rating scale (HAM-D) and
Sheehan Disability scale.

Overall response to treatment of panic disorder was statistically significantly
greater for patients treated with Prozac compared to treatment with placebo.
Total panic attack frequency was significantly reduced for patients receiving 10
milligrams of Prozac compared with placebo and treatment with 20 milligrams of
Prozac also demonstrated statistically significantly greater improvement over
placebo in patient-rated panic attacks, anxiety, phobic avoidance and overall
functioning.

Although panic attacks alone are a core part of the diagnostic criteria for panic
disorder, much of the morbidity associated with the illness and resulting functional
impairment result from other symptoms, including anxiety, depression and phobic
avoidance. Data published in The American Journal of Psychiatry, meanwhile,
suggest that panic attack frequency alone is unsatisfactory as a measure of
treatment outcomes. Clinical improvement could be better reflected by
multidimensional measures specific to panic disorder that assess panic attack
frequency as just one of several important variables, Dr. Michelson explained.

The most commonly observed events associated with the use of Prozac (versus
placebo) in U.S.-controlled clinical trials for depression, obsessive compulsive
disorder and bulimia combined were nausea (23 versus 10 percent), headache
(21 versus 20 percent), insomnia (20 versus 11 percent), anxiety (13 versus
eight percent), nervousness (13 versus nine percent) and somnolence (13 versus
six percent).

Related Links: Prozac and Eli Lilly



To: Anthony Wong who wrote (1061)11/16/1998 9:21:00 PM
From: chirodoc  Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 1722
 
anthony
i think that goldman is trying
to get in before celebrex
thanks for the heads up
luckily i bought a bunch
on the sell-off
when did you buy?

curtis



To: Anthony Wong who wrote (1061)11/17/1998 7:10:00 AM
From: Henry Niman  Read Replies (4) | Respond to of 1722
 
Several news sources are focusing on the HOE/RP merger and HOE split up of units. Details on the above as well as AHP/MTC deal are linked to the Merger Mania table at biocognizance.com
(Mirrored site at webf2179.ntx.net may be faster)