PANIC DISORDER IN CARDIOLOGY PATIENTS - A REVIEW OF THE MISSOURI PANIC CARDIOLOGY PROJECT

This paper reviews current evidence from several cardiology population s that suggests that panic disorder is prevalent and underdiagnosed. C ardiology patients with atypical angina, and no heart disease have a h igh likelihood of having panic disorder, as suggested by studies of tw o separate cardiology populations. That they resemble psychiatric popu lations with panic is suggested by their positive response to alprazol am. A panic disorder subtype, called non-fear panic disorder also appe ared in about one-third of these cardiology panic patients. These pati ents have most of the panic symptoms but do not report fear during the ir episodes.