Everyone feels anxious from time to time. In the run-up to a job interview or an exam, it is natural to worry about the outcome. But for some people, feelings of anxiety and panic can become so overwhelming that they’re often disproportionate to their situation and impact their daily lives.
Heart palpitations, shortness of breath and a feeling of disconnection to your body are some of the physical symptoms that people may experience during a panic attack. These symptoms can come on very quickly and mostly last between 5-20 minutes.
Panic disorder can be disabling, causing people to avoid situations such as going out alone in public, out of fear it’ll trigger another attack. Many also find it difficult to access treatment or to find a treatment that works for them.
MQ fellow, Dr Andrea Reinecke, from Oxford University, is working to develop more effective treatments for panic disorder. Using a logical, neuroscience-based approach, her team's work has previously shown that just one session of cognitive-behaviour therapy already has tremendous effects on anxiety.
Now, Andrea is running a study to test the idea that taking one dose of a blood pressure drug will further improve treatment response.
Andrea and her team are looking for volunteers who experience panic attacks and are open to actively taking steps to improve their condition through treatment. Taking part in this study will involve visiting Andrea and her team in Oxford to receive one session of cognitive-behaviour therapy - an effective treatment for anxiety. You will also either take one tablet of the blood pressure drug, or a placebo.
“Losartan has been routinely prescribed for over 20 years, and our previous work shows there are no side effects with single doses” says Andrea. “Before and after your treatment, you will be working on questionnaires asking about your anxiety, and we will ask you to work on a few computer games. We are hoping that the results from this study will shape how we treat anxiety disorders, by recommending a brief combination treatment approach with greater overall effects.”
Feedback from patients who have already taken part in the study has been really encouraging in describing the beneficial effects they have experienced from treatment:
“A few weeks ago I had to resuscitate a little boy in my class […] I had the strength to act and deal with the situation and administer first aid. Before my therapy with you I would have fallen to pieces and been paralysed with fear. […] I guess you could say that my therapy with you helped to save a child's life.”
“I did my ‘go to work without any meds day today’, felt like a real achievement & actually I didn't think of them once. I must say I feel like something really positive has happened […] I am finally beginning to believe it's possible to live a life free of anxiety/panic attacks & that's an amazing thought!
“The work you do is so amazing and I know you are able to see the short term results; I just wanted you to know that it truly is a gift that keeps on giving.”
“life is still absolutely fantastic for me after the study. My husband and I have just come back off of holiday, we ventured to Mauritius which is a 12 hour flight and I sailed through it!! Every time I achieve something like this it always makes me think of you and the amazing change you have made to my life.”
If you would like to find out more about this study and apply to take part, please visit the Participate site here.
