Four clinical types of panic disorders.
The authors attempted to classify panic disorders into four types according to a clinical course and accompanying neurotic or depressive symptoms. The characteristics of each type are as follows; type I: a single panic attack is the only symptom, type II: only panic attacks occur frequently without any accompanying neurotic or depressive symptoms, type III: a recurrence of panic attacks and the gradual development of neurotic symptoms, such as anticipatory anxiety, generalized anxiety, agoraphobia, or hypochondriasis, type IV: depressive symptoms develop in the course of recurring panic attacks. Type IV is further divided into three subtypes. Type IV-1: depressive symptoms develop secondary to panic attacks and major depression later coexists with panic disorder. Type IV-2: panic disorder continuously changed into major depression. Type IV-3: panic attacks and depressive symptoms are seen independently. The most common types are type III and type IV-1, and seem to be a core group of the panic disorder. Typical cases of each type are presented and underlying psychopathology is discussed.
Takeuchi
T
T
Department of Psychiatry, Ichihara Hospital, Teikyo University School of Medicine, Chiba, Japan.
Hasegawa
M
M
Ikeda
M
M
Hayashi
R
R
Tomiyama
G
G
Nemoto
T
T
Hoshino
K
K
D000328:Adult; D000379:Agoraphobia / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012008:Recurrence; D012307:Risk Factors