Chest pain, cardiac disease, and panic disorder.
Chest pain is one of the most frequent symptoms prompting presentation to a medical clinic. In primary care, more than 80% of patients are found to have no organic etiology for chest pain. Even among selected patients referred for coronary arteriography, 10% to 30% have little or no evidence of coronary artery disease. Recent studies suggest that panic disorder is a common cause of chest pain in patients with negative cardiac test results. Panic disorder can also occur along with a chronic medical illness, such as coronary artery disease, and may lead to physiologic worsening of that illness with more frequent episodes of chest pain.
Division of Consultation Liaison Psychiatry, Washington School of Medicine, Seattle 98195.
W J
WJ
Katon
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002637:Chest Pain / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000175:diagnosis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D006998:Hypochondriasis / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D010200:Panic