psychiatric disorders
Panic Attacks and Panic Disorder
Symptoms and Signs of Panic Disorders
A panic attack involves the sudden onset of intense fear or discomfort accompanied by at least 4 of the 13 symptoms listed in the table. The panic symptoms may last minutes to an hour. Although uncomfortable—at times extremely so—panic attacks are not medically dangerous. Panic attacks may occur in any psychiatric disorder, usually in situations tied to the core features of the disorder (eg, a person with a phobia of snakes may panic at seeing a snake). Such panic attacks are called "expected." Unexpected panic attacks are those that occur spontaneously, without any apparent trigger. Most people with panic disorder anticipate and worry about another attack (anticipatory anxiety) and avoid places or situations in which they have previously panicked. People with panic disorder often worry that they have a dangerous heart, lung, or neurologic disorder and repeatedly visit their primary care clinician or an emergency department seeking help. Unfortunately, in these settings, attention is often focused on general medical symptoms, and the correct diagnosis sometimes is not made. Panic disorder is often accompanied by at least one other comorbid condition. Other Overview of Anxiety Disorders , 