New Treatment Program Helps Reduce Panic, Anxiety

People who suffer from panic disorders could benefit from a new treatment program that has been proven to reduce both panic and hyperventilation, according to a new study.

The treatment program is known as Capnometry-Assisted Respiratory Training, or CART. It helps patients learn to breathe in a way that reverses hyperventilation, a state of excessive breathing that is common in people with panic disorders.

Patients undergoing CART treatment perform simple breathing exercises twice a day. During the exercises, a portable capnometer provides feedback on the patient's carbon dioxide levels. The CART breathing exercises encourage patients to breathe slower and more shallowly to reduce chronic and acute hyperventilation and associated physical symptoms. Contrary to popular belief, taking deep breaths can actually make hyperventilation and associated symptoms worse.

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