Elsevier

Psychosomatics

Volume 56, Issue 5, September–October 2015, Pages 513-520
Psychosomatics

Original Research Reports
Nonfearful Panic Attacks in Patients With Noncardiac Chest Pain

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psym.2014.07.005Get rights and content

Objective

To document the prevalence and characteristics of nonfearful panic attacks (NFPA) and their consequences on panic identification and access to mental health services in patients with noncardiac chest pain.

Method

This cross-sectional sample included 339 patients with noncardiac chest pain and panic attacks. A structured interview was used to collect data on panic attacks, psychiatric morbidity, sociodemographic variables, and previous consultations with a psychiatrist or psychologist. Medical files were reviewed to assess the rate of NFPA identification in the emergency department.

Results

In our sample of patients with noncardiac chest pain, 39% of those with panic attacks reported NFPA. Psychiatric morbidity was lower in patients with NFPA than in patients with typical panic attacks (49.6% vs 71.1%), as was the mean number of panic symptoms (6 vs 7.8). The rate of panic attack identification was similar in both the groups, but patients with NFPA were less likely to have consulted a psychiatrist or psychologist during their lifetime (34% vs 46%).

Conclusions

NFPA were highly prevalent in our sample of emergency department patients with noncardiac chest pain. NFPA is associated with significant psychiatric morbidity but these patients were less likely to follow through with referral to a psychiatrist or psychologist than patients with typical panic attacks were.

Cited by (0)

This work was made possible through Grants from the Groupe interuniversitaire de recherche sur les urgences (GIRU) and the Fonds de Recherche en Santé du Québec (FRSQ) (Grant no. 11842) and continuing support from the Research Centers of the University-Affiliated Hospital of Lévis and the Montréal Sacré-Coeur Hospital.

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