Angina as a symptom of psychiatric illness.
We retrospectively studied all patients who had normal coronary angiograms at The Methodist Hospital during the year 1984 (8% of all angiograms). Patients were surveyed eight to 18 months after angiography. Of the 216 patients (83% of total sample), 130 were female and 86 male. Sixty-three percent of the women and 50% of the men satisfied the criteria for generalized anxiety disorder, and 20% satisfied the criteria for panic attacks. On the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) Somatization Scale, 64% had scores above the average reported for psychiatric outpatients. Eighty-one percent received only reassurance about the absence of heart disease, and 25% received continuing nitrate therapy in the absence of heart disease. A majority of these patients remain untreated functional "cardiac neurotics" with untreated anxiety symptoms. We make suggestions regarding a clinical profile to identify these patients and appropriate measures to avoid prolonged disability.
D000328:Adult; D000787:Angina Pectoris / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D002065:Buspirone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006985:Hyperventilation / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010200:Panic / Q000187:drug effects; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications
D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D002065:Buspirone