SODIUM LACTATE INFUSION, PANIC ATTACKS, AND IONIZED CALCIUM

  • 1 January 1984
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 19  (10) , 1437-1447
Abstract
The ability of sodium lactate to precipitate panic attacks in vulnerable individuals has been repeatedly demonstrated, although its mechanism of action is unknown. Pitts and McClure hypothesized that the panicogenic effect of sodium lactate was due to its induction of a peripheral hypocalcemia via the complexing of infused lactate ions with extracellular ionized Ca. Serial ionized Ca measurements during lactate infusion are assessed for 22 panic patients who panicked during infusion, 11 panic patients who did not panic during the procedure and 6 normal controls. I.v. sodium lactate infusion was associated with a significant decrease in ionized Ca in all groups. No specific association was found between the rate or magnitude of decrease in ionized Ca and the occurrence of a panic attack during the infusion.

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