---
title: How should severe premenstrual dysphoric disorder be diagnosed and treated?
description: Diagnosis requires ruling out other conditions and tracking daily symptoms. Treatment with serotonin-blocking antidepressants or alprazolam during the luteal
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/medical-management-of-premenstrual-dysphoric-disorder-1999/
---

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- How should severe premenstrual dysphoric disorder be diagnosed and treated?

Review, 1999

# How should severe premenstrual dysphoric disorder be diagnosed and treated?

Diagnosis requires ruling out other conditions and tracking daily symptoms. Treatment with serotonin-blocking antidepressants or alprazolam during the luteal phase provides substantial relief.

 Moderate study design

Women with severe dysphoric premenstrual complaints

## What they did

Literature review of how to diagnose severe PMDD and which treatments work.

## What they found

Antidepressants that block the serotonin transporter effectively treat PMDD. The benzodiazepine medication alprazolam is also effective. Giving medication only during the luteal phase results in substantial relief.

## What it means for you

Women with severe PMDD can get good results using medications only during part of the cycle, which reduces medication exposure. The limitation is that specific success rates are not given in this review.

## About the study

Original title Medical management of premenstrual dysphoric disorder Authors Yonkers KA Journal The journal of gender-specific medicine : JGSM : the official journal of the Partnership for Women's Health at Columbia Year 1999 Study design Review What was tested Antidepressants that block serotonin transporter, alprazolam Read the paper [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11252853/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11252853/)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Anxiety and tension](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-anxiety/)[SSRIs and antidepressants](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-ssri/)[Anxiolytics and other psychotropics](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-anxiolytics/)

Research tells you what helps on average. Niyora helps on the day it hits.

Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor.

## Related studies

Randomised trial, 2015

Does quetiapine help women with PMS/PMDD who don't respond well to antidepressants?

Survey study, 2001

How common is premenstrual dysphoric disorder and how is it related to other psychiatric conditions?

Survey study, 1997

How are anxiety symptoms and anxiety disorders linked to PMDD?

Review, 2015

What treatments work best for PMDD and PMS?

Systematic review, 2008

What treatments work best for PMS and PMDD?

Randomised trial, 2004

What medications work for PMDD when taken only during the second half of the menstrual cycle?

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