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- $Unique_ID{BRK04081}
- $Pretitle{}
- $Title{Panic-Anxiety Syndrome}
- $Subject{Panic-Anxiety Syndrome Panic Disorder Anxiety State Anxiety Neurosis}
- $Volume{}
- $Log{}
-
- Copyright (C) 1986, 1988, 1989 National Organization for Rare Disorders,
- Inc.
-
- 286:
- Panic-Anxiety Syndrome
-
- ** IMPORTANT **
- It is possible the main title of the article (Panic-Anxiety Syndrome) is
- not the name you expected. Please check the SYNONYMS listing to find the
- alternate names and disorder subdivisions covered by this article.
-
- Synonyms
-
- Panic Disorder
- Anxiety State
- Anxiety Neurosis
-
- General Discussion
-
- ** REMINDER **
- The information contained in the Rare Disease Database is provided for
- educational purposes only. It should not be used for diagnostic or treatment
- purposes. If you wish to obtain more information about this disorder, please
- contact your personal physician and/or the agencies listed in the "Resources"
- section of this report.
-
-
- Panic-Anxiety Syndrome is a psychiatric disorder characterized by recurrent
- and unpredictable anxiety attacks with no apparent cause for the symptoms,
- such as threat of danger or attack.
-
- Symptoms
-
- The main feature of Panic-Anxiety Syndrome is the recurrence of panic
- attacks. Psychological symptoms may include intense apprehension,
- unreasonable fear of dying or impending doom, fear of becoming insane, or
- dread of losing control of the self. Physical manifestations are generally
- those commonly associated with panic or anxiety such as difficulty in
- breathing, irregular heartbeat, sweating, trembling and faintness. In
- addition, patients may experience chest pain, feelings of unreality, abnormal
- sensations (burning or pricking), dizziness, or hot and cold flashes. The
- symptoms usually become apparent in late adolescence or early adulthood.
- Attacks, which can occur at any time, usually last only minutes, though in
- rare cases they may last hours.
-
- Complications may develop from the symptoms associated with the disorder.
- Agoraphobia, the fear of being in public places, may result from the
- patient's apprehensions about losing control. Between attacks patients
- affected with Panic-Anxiety Syndrome can suffer from symptoms of nervousness,
- caused by fear of future attacks; these symptoms include a tensing of the
- muscles, increased blood pressure and heart rate. Patients may turn to abuse
- of alcohol or anxiety relieving medications to alleviate their constant
- nervousness. The result may be Depressive Disorders which can further
- complicate treatment.
-
- Causes
-
- Panic-Anxiety Syndrome is believed to be caused by biochemical factors,
- though the specific cause of the disorder is not yet known. The disorder is
- possibly caused by excessive secretion of the neurohormone norepinephrine,
- which stimulates the autonomic nervous system. Another possible cause is a
- hypersensitivity to lactates (a substance which usually accumulates during
- physical exertion). Also, studies with caffeine have suggested a link in
- some cases between Panic-Anxiety Syndrome and abnormalities in the neural
- systems involving adenosine (a chemical in the body related to caffeine).
- Researchers have been able to trigger panic attacks in patients by exposing
- them to carbon dioxide or other substances normally not found in the brain.
- In 1988, researchers reported that a brain chemical known as cholecystokinin
- (given to patients intravenously) could trigger panic attacks 20 seconds
- after injection. It is not clear whether panic anxiety syndrome may be
- caused by a surge in the natural level of cholecystokinin, or whether brains
- of people with this disorder are abnormally sensitive to it.
-
- Affected Population
-
- Panic-Anxiety Syndrome tends to affect females more commonly than males.
-
- Related Disorders
-
- Different Phobias can cause physical symptoms similar to Panic-Anxiety
- Syndrome, but they occur only in response to specific stimuli. Panic-Anxiety
- Syndrome may be differentiated by the unpredictability of the anxiety
- attacks.
-
- Withdrawal from some drugs such as barbiturates and substance
- intoxications (such as caffeine or amphetamines), may also produce symptoms
- of Panic Disorder.
-
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder is symptomatized by chronic anxiety, like
- that experienced between anxiety attacks in Panic-Anxiety Syndrome. Panic-
- Anxiety Syndrome may be distinguished from Generalized Anxiety Disorder by
- the recurrence of fits of panic.
-
- Finally, patients with other mental disorders such as Schizophrenia,
- Major Depression, or Somatization Disorder may experience symptoms of panic
- attacks.
-
- Therapies: Standard
-
- Primarily, there are two drugs used to treat Panic-Anxiety Syndrome:
- alprazolam and imipramine hydrochloride. Alprazolam acts as a tranquilizer
- and reduces the patient's hypersensitivity to lactate. The therapeutic
- efficacy of imipramine hydrochloride, on the other hand, has been linked to
- its inhibitory effect on norepinephrine (a neurotransmitter associated with
- anxiety or tension) turnover.
-
- Therapies: Investigational
-
- Research is ongoing into new therapies for the treatment of Panic-Anxiety
- Syndrome.
-
- This disease entry is based upon medical information available through
- June 1988. Since NORD's resources are limited, it is not possible to keep
- every entry in the Rare Disease Database completely current and accurate.
- Please check with the agencies listed in the Resources section for the most
- current information about this disorder.
-
- Resources
-
- For more information on Panic-Anxiety Syndrome, please contact:
-
- National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD)
- P.O. Box 8923
- New Fairfield, CT 06812-1783
- (203) 746-6518
-
- Anxiety Disorders Association of America
- 6000 Executive Blvd., Suite 200
- Rockville, MD 20852
- (301) 231-9350
-
- Mental Health Association
- 1021 Prince St.
- Alexandria, VA 22314
-
- National Alliance for the Mentally Ill
- 1901 N. Fort Meyer Dr., Suite 500
- Arlington, VA 22209
- (703) 524-7600
-
- National Mental Health Consumer Self-Help Clearinghouse
- 311 S. Juniper St., Rm. 902
- Philadelphia, PA 19107
- (215) 735-2481
-
- NIH/National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
- 9000 Rockville Pike
- Bethesda, MD 20205
- (301) 443-4515 or (301) 496-1752
- (800) 421-4211 (24 hrs.)
-
- References
-
- DIAGNOSTIC AND STATISTICAL MANUAL OF PSYCHIATRIC ILLNESS; 3rd ed.: Robert L.
- Spitzer, et. al. eds; American Psychiatric Association, 1980. Pp. 230-2.
-
- NEUROENDOCRINE CORRELATES OF LACTATE-INDUCED ANXIETY AND THEIR RESPONSE
- TO CHRONIC ALPRAZOLAM THERAPY; D. B. Carr et al.: American Journal of
- Psychiatry, April 1986; 143(4): Pp. 483-494.
-
- NORADRENERGIC FUNCTION AND THE MECHANISM OF ACTION OF ANTIANXIETY
- TREATMENT; D. S. Charney and G. R. Heninger: Archives of General Psychiatry,
- May 1985, 42(5): Pp. 473-481.
-
- INCREASED ANXIOGENIC EFFECTS OF CAFFEINE IN PANIC DISORDERS; D. S. Charney et
- al.: Archives of General Psychiatry, March, 1985; 42(3): Pp. 233-243.
-
-