Triggering the false suffocation alarm in panic disorder patients by using a voluntary breath-holding procedure.
The authors compared the maximal duration of voluntary breath-holding in patients with panic disorder (N = 23), patients with generalized social phobia (N = 10), and healthy subjects (N = 26). Patients with panic disorder had significantly shorter breath-holding durations than either comparison group. Groups did not otherwise differ in physiologic response to the breath-holding. Implications for a false suffocation alarm in panic disorder are discussed.
Asmundson
G J
GJ
Department of Psychiatry, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.
Stein
M B
MB
D000328:Adult; D001237:Asphyxia / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D010698:Phobic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D012119:Respiration / Q000502:physiology; D014836:Volition / Q000502:physiology