Incidence of panic disorder in patients with non-cardiac chest pain and panic attacks

Abstract

This study documented the 6-month incidence of panic disorder and its predictors in emergency department patients with panic attacks and non-cardiac chest pain. The assessment included a validated structured interview to identify panic attacks and questionnaires measuring the potential predictors of panic disorder. Presence of panic disorder was assessed 6 months later. The incidence of panic disorder was 10.1 percent ( n = 14/138). Anxiety sensitivity was the only significant predictor of the incidence of panic disorder (odds ratio = 1.06; 95% confidence interval = 1.01–1.12). Patients with panic attacks and non-cardiac chest pain are at an elevated risk for panic disorder. This vulnerability appears to increase with anxiety sensitivity.

Which symptoms are the psychopathological core affecting the manifestation of pseudo-cardiac symptoms and poor sleep quality in young adults? Symptoms of personality disorders versus clinical disorders

“…Surprisingly, when the CDs factor was entered in the first block and the PDs factor in the second block, the residual contribution of the PDs factor to explaining the variance of the criterion variable was less than 1 %. Although our search failed to find results from similar studies, previous studies have highlighted the importance of psychological distress, symptoms of anxiety and depression, and clinical disorders such as acute stress disorder, panic disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder (Eken et al, 2010;Foldes-Busque et al, 2016;Mourad et al, 2018;Heppell et al, 2021;Ionescu et al, 2021;Hamel et al, 2022). We assume that maladaptive personality traits are a stable part of the person that has no insight into them.…”

Protocol for a multi-site randomized controlled trial of a stepped-care intervention for emergency department patients with panic-related anxiety

“…Despite the fact that up to 40% of ED patients with chest pain meet criteria for panic-related anxiety (i.e., panic attacks or panic disorder), only 1-2% of these patients are typically evaluated and treated for anxiety in this setting [6,8]. Follow-up studies indicate that ED patients presenting with chest pain and panic attacks are at increased risk for developing panic disorder following discharge from the ED [9,10]. Earlier identification and treatment of panic attacks when patients first visit the ED may help to prevent later progression to panic disorder, as well as poor long-term clinical outcomes and unnecessary recurrent ED visits for panic symptoms.…”