Incidence of panic disorder in patients with non-cardiac chest pain and panic attacks. (June 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Heppell, Jenny-Lee; Denis, Isabelle; Turcotte, Stéphane; Fleet, Richard P; Dionne, Clermont E; Foldes-Busque, Guillaume
• Is Part Of: Journal of health psychology. Volume 26:Number 7(2021)
• Page Start: 985
• Page End: 994
• Publication Date: 2021-06
• Subjects: anxiety sensitivity -- emergency department -- non-cardiac chest pain -- panic attacks -- panic disorder; Clinical health psychology -- Periodicals; 613.019
• DOI: 10.1177/1359105319859062
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1359-1053

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.