Coincidence of schizophrenia and panic disorder

The coincidence between panic disorder and depression is a well known phenomenon. However, only few studies investigated the coincidence;of panic disorder with schizophrenia. This may in part be explained by the fact that both positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia may mask the clinical symptoms of a panic disorder. We report on a female patient suffering both from agoraphobia with panic disorder and paranoid schizophrenia according to ICD-10. The productive psychotic symptoms responded well to treatment with a low dose of zotepine, whereas the panic disorder was effectively treated with a combined therapy with imipramine and cognitive behavioral therapy. Although it has to be questioned whether the coincidence between panic disorder and schizophrenia reflects two different diagnostic entities, the occurrence of symptoms of a panic disorder in schizophrenia deserve further attention because these may be treated efficiently by a specific pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy.