Panic disorder (PD) with and without agoraphobia, is a chronic and deb
ilitating condition that affects 1.5% of the U.S. population. Although
estimates suggest that approximately 50% of individuals with PD also
develop agoraphobia, the prevalence of agoraphobia is present in the m
ajority of individuals seeking treatment. Once organic causes are rule
d out, PD must be also differentiated from other DSM-IV disorders that
have panic attacks as an associated feature. Research suggests that t
wo thirds of individuals with PD have at least one comorbid disorder.
Suicide risk must also be assessed because data demonstrate that PD al
one may be a risk factor for suicide attempts. A summary of the major
theories of PD and the empirical findings that attempt to validate the
se models is provided. (C) 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.