THE NATURE OF PANIC DISORDER

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.