MedWorm: Agoraphobia

Changes in quality of life following cognitive-behavioral group therapy for panic disorder.

European Psychiatry — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 23:00:00 +0100

CONCLUSIONS: Our results are encouraging for cognitive-behavior therapists who treat patients suffering from PD in groups, since decrease of PD symptoms appears to be associated with considerable improvements in QoL. Nevertheless, additional interventions designed to target specific aspects of QoL, in particular vitality, may be useful to enhance patients' well-being. PMID: 19545979 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: European Psychiatry)

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Stepped care for depression and anxiety: a randomised controlled trial testing the effectiveness of a stepped care program among primary care patients with mood or anxiety disorders

BMC Health Services Research — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 04:00:00 +0100

This study is a randomised controlled trial with two conditions: stepped care and care as usual, whereby the latter forms the control group. The stepped care program consists of four evidence based interventions: (1) Watchful waiting, (2) Guided self-help, (3) Problem Solving Treatment and (4) Medication and/or specialized mental health care. The study population consists of primary care attendees aged 18-65 years. Screeners are sent to all patients of the participating general practitioners. Individuals with a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of mental disorders (DSM) diagnosis of major depression, dysthymia, panic disorder (with or without agoraphobia), generalized anxiety disorder, or social phobia are included as well as individuals with minor depression and anxiety disorders. Primary...

[Articles] Psychiatric Treatment Received by Primary Care Patients With Panic Disorder With and Without Agoraphobia

Psychiatr Serv — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 04:00:00 +0100

CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest a need for better treatment dissemination, in addition to making interventions more accessible or adapting them to the particular needs of primary care patients. (Source: Psychiatr Serv)

[INFLUENTIAL PUBLICATIONS] Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A State-of-the-Science Review

FOCUS — Mon, 11 May 2009 04:00:00 +0100

This article reviews the state-of-the-art research in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from several perspectives: (1) Sex differences: PTSD is more frequent among women, who tend to have different types of precipitating traumas and higher rates of comorbid panic disorder and agoraphobia than do men. (2) Risk and resilience: The presence of Group C symptoms after exposure to a disaster or act of terrorism may predict the development of PTSD as well as comorbid diagnoses. (3) Impact of trauma in early life: Persistent increases in CRF concentration are associated with early life trauma and PTSD, and may be reversed with paroxetine treatment. (4) Imaging studies: Intriguing findings in treated and untreated depressed patients may serve as a paradigm of failed brain adaptation to chronic e...

Effect of maternal panic disorder on mother–child interaction and relation to child anxiety and child self-efficacy

Archives of Women's Mental Health — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 07:14:38 +0100

Abstract To determine whether mothers with panic disorder with or without agoraphobia interacted differently with their children than normal control mothers, 86 mothers and their adolescents (aged between 13 and 23 years) were observed during a structured play situation. Maternal as well as adolescent anxiety status was assessed according to a structured diagnostic interview. Results showed that mothers with panic disorder/agoraphobia showed more verbal control, were more criticizing and less sensitive during mother–child interaction than mothers without current mental disorders. Moreover, more conflicts were observed between mother and child dyadic interactions when the mother suffered from panic disorder. The comparison of parenting behaviors among anxious and non...

Agoraphobia

MayoClinic.com Full Feed — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 01:45:00 +0100

— Comprehensive overview covers agoraphobia symptoms, treatment and coping techniques for this anxiety disorder. Sponsored by:Chemotherapy.com - http://www.chemotherapy.com (Source: MayoClinic.com Full Feed)

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Recurrent left ventricular apical ballooning induced by recurrent stress

International Journal of Cardiology — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 09:02:22 +0100

Abstract: This paper reports on a 67-year-old woman with apical ballooning and recurrent dyskinesia of left ventricular wall. During MRI-examination the patient developed severe apical dyskinesia of the left ventricle induced by agoraphobia in the magnet. (Source: International Journal of Cardiology)

Long-term depression versus episodic major depression: Results from the prospective Zurich study of a community sample

Journal of Affective Disorders — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 19:31:50 +0100

Conclusions: LTD is common, clinically more serious than episodic MDE and highly comorbid.Limitations: The sample is relatively small with an attrition rate of 38.5% over 20 years. The results cannot be generalised to persons over 40 years of age and may be dependent on the definition of LTD. (Source: Journal of Affective Disorders)

Personality disorder traits as predictors of subsequent first-onset panic disorder or agoraphobia

Comprehensive Psychiatry — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 23:32:12 +0100

Abstract: Determining how personality disorder traits and panic disorder and/or agoraphobia relate longitudinally is an important step in developing a comprehensive understanding of the etiology of panic/agoraphobia. In 1981, a probabilistic sample of adult (≥18 years old) residents of east Baltimore were assessed for Axis I symptoms and disorders using the Diagnostic Interview Schedule (DIS); psychiatrists reevaluated a subsample of these participants and made Axis I diagnoses, as well as ratings of individual Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Third Edition personality disorder traits. Of the participants psychiatrists examined in 1981, 432 were assessed again in 1993 to 1996 using the DIS. Excluding participants who had baseline panic attacks or panic-like spells f...

Woman leaves house after 18 years

BBC News | Health | UK Edition — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 11:54:20 +0100

An agoraphobic woman who was too scared to leave her home for 18 years ventures outside for the first time. (Source: BBC News | Health | UK Edition)

Anxiety UK campaign for agoraphobia awareness

ANXIETY UK News — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Britains leading anxiety charity campaigns for better awareness of the deadly impact of agoraphobia Anxiety UK, Britains leading anxiety disorders charity, is leading the way in awareness raising of the potentially deadly impact of agoraphobia. This comes after the tragic case in February of Kevins Keegans nephews suicide following his struggles with the condition. Agoraphobia is a widely misunderstood and very disabling condition, says Nicky Lidbetter, Chief Executive of Anxiety UK, who herself suffers with the condition. Time and time again at Anxiety UK we see cases of people whose lives have been destroyed by this debilitating disorder. It can often mean people are completely isolated from society, loosing their jobs and contact with friends and family, crippled by f...

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Internet-Based Treatment for Panic Disorder: Does Frequency of Therapist Contact Make a Difference?

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 04:00:00 +0100

This study examined whether frequency of therapist contact affected treatment outcomes. Fifty-seven people with panic disorder (including 32 with agoraphobia) were randomly allocated to an 8-week Internet-based cognitive behavioural treatment intervention (Panic Online) with either frequent (three e-mails per week) or infrequent (one e-mail per week) support from a psychologist. Posttreatment, intention-to-treat analyses revealed that both treatments were effective at improving panic disorder and agoraphobia severity ratings, panic-related cognitions, negative affect, and psychological and physical quality of life domains, with no differences between conditions. High end-state functioning was achieved by 28.6% of the frequent and infrequent participants, respectively. Therapist alliance, t...

Agoraphobia

About.com Generalized Anxiety — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 04:00:00 +0100

Definition of agoraphobia and how it can be related to GAD. (Source: About.com Generalized Anxiety)

A randomized study of massed three-week cognitive behavioural therapy schedule for panic disorder

Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 04:00:00 +0100

Conclusion: The massed, 3-week group CBT schedule proved to be effective and feasible for PD patients with outcomes comparable with that of standard, spaced group CBT. (Source: Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica)

Genetic and pharmacokinetic factors affecting the initial pharmacotherapeutic effect of paroxetine in Japanese patients with panic disorder

European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 16:13:07 +0100

Conclusion The high plasma concentration of PAX, the L/S genotype of 5-HTTLPR, and comorbid physical illness might be associated with a poor response to the initial phase of pharmacotherapy of PD with PAX. Content Type Journal ArticleCategory PharmacogeneticsDOI 10.1007/s00228-009-0633-8Authors Yoshinori Saeki, Dokkyo Medical University School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry 880 Kitakobayashi, Mibu-machi, Shimotsuga Tochigi 321–0293 JapanTakashi Watanabe, Dokkyo Medical University School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry 880 Kitakobayashi, Mibu-machi, Shimotsuga Tochigi 321–0293 JapanMikito Ueda, Dokkyo Medical University School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry 880 Kitakobayashi, Mibu-machi, Shimotsuga Tochigi 321–0293 JapanAtsushi Saito, Dokkyo Medic...

Specificity of autonomic arousal to DSM-IV panic disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder.

Behaviour Research and Therapy — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Brown TA, McNiff J Although research on the hierarchical model of anxiety and depression has confirmed that autonomic arousability (AA) is more germane to panic disorder with or without agoraphobia (PD/A) than other DSM-IV anxiety and mood disorders, studies have not evaluated the differential relevance of AA to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This issue was addressed in multivariate analytic models using 295 outpatients with anxiety and mood disorders. Consistent with prediction, the presence of current DSM-IV PTSD and PD/A was significantly predictive of AA, even when other forms of anxiety disorder comorbidity were held constant. Moreover, latent structural analyses indicated that PTSD and PD/A were the only DSM-IV anxiety disorder constructs to have significant direc...

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Rates and types of psychiatric disorders in perinatally human immunodeficiency virus-infected youth and seroreverters

Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: Our data suggest that HIV+ youths are at high risk for mental health disorders. Further longitudinal research is necessary to understand the etiology, as well as potential protective factors, in order to inform efficacy-based interventions. (Source: Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry)

Open-label support for duloxetine for the treatment of panic disorder.

CNS Neuroscience and Therapeutics — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 21:17:29 +0100

Authors: Simon NM, Kaufman RE, Hoge EA, Worthington JJ, Herlands NN, Owens ME, Pollack MH Panic disorder with or without agoraphobia is a common, often chronic and refractory anxiety disorder. Although a number of pharmacotherapies are now indicated for panic disorder, many patients do not respond to available interventions. We hypothesized that duloxetine, a serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) that has greater initial noradrenergic effects than venlafaxine, would have broad efficacy for individuals with panic disorder. Fifteen individuals with panic disorder with or without agoraphobia received 8 weeks of open label duloxetine flexibly dosed from 60 to 120 mg per day. Duloxetine treatment resulted in significant anxiolysis as measured by the primary outcome measure, the...

The impact of anxiety and migraine on quality of sleep in patients with major depressive disorder.

Comprehensive Psychiatry — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 18:07:30 +0100

CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrates the negative impact of panic disorder and migraine on MDD and some of the interrelations between depression, anxiety, and sleep quality. Future studies should further explore these interactions and consider possible therapeutic interventions. PMID: 19216892 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Comprehensive Psychiatry)

Guidelines for differential diagnoses in a population with posttraumatic stress disorder.

Professional Psychology: Research and Practice — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 05:00:00 +0100

In a large posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression treatment outcome study, thorough diagnostic assessments of veterans at pretreatment, posttreatment, and 3 follow-up times were completed. The research team that reviewed these assessments encountered several challenges in the differential diagnosis of PTSD because of high comorbidity and symptoms shared with or resembling other disorders. For example, how do mental health professionals distinguish symptoms of agoraphobia from avoidance and hypervigilance symptoms of PTSD? When are hallucinations symptomatic of PTSD (e.g., flashbacks) versus a nonpsychotic near-death experience or an independent psychotic disorder? How do mental health professionals differentiate overlapping symptoms of PTSD and depressive disorders? To help ma...

Lifetime comorbidities between phobic disorders and major depression in Japan: results from the World Mental Health Japan 2002-2004 Survey

Depression and Anxiety — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: Social phobia is a powerful predictor of the subsequent first onset of MDD in Japan. Although this finding argues against a simple neurobiological model and in favor of a model in which the cultural meanings of phobia play a part in promoting MDD, an elucidation of causal pathways will require more fine-grained comparative research. Depression and Anxiety 0:1-7, 2009. Published 2009 Wiley-liss, Inc. (Source: Depression and Anxiety)

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Prevalence of social phobia in non-demented elderly from a swedish population study.

Am J Geriatr Psychia... — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 05:58:47 +0100

CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that DSM-IV criteria exclude a large group of individuals with social phobia. It could be discussed whether DSM-IV criteria should be revised to also encompass these individuals. PMID: 19172681 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Am J Geriatr Psychia...)

Adult attachment styles in panic disorder with and without comorbid adult separation anxiety disorder.

The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 16:00:21 +0100

Conclusions: The findings finally dispel the notion that separation anxiety and anxious attachment are relevant to panic disorder with agoraphobia, suggesting instead that that constellation is confined to a separate group, namely that of adult separation anxiety disorder. Possible implications for treatment are considered. PMID: 19153925 [PubMed - in process] (Source: The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry)

Anxiety sensitivity as a predictor of the clinical course of panic disorder: a 1-year follow-up study

Depression and Anxiety — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: Overall, these findings suggest that AS, as a unique construct, may be predictive of the amount of time patients are in episode of PD. Depression and Anxiety 0:1-8, 2009. Published 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. (Source: Depression and Anxiety)

Effects and feasibility of a preventive intervention in sub-threshold and mild panic disorder: Results of a pilot study

BMC Research Notes — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: The study suggests that people with sub-threshold PD and mild PD could benefit from this preventive intervention and that the intervention might be feasible. Furthermore, the short version could be as effective as the long version. (Source: BMC Research Notes)

The relationship between migraine and mental disorders in a population-based sample.

General Hospital Psychiatry — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 05:00:00 +0100

CONCLUSION: Although causal inferences cannot be made due to the cross-sectional nature of the data, the present study adds to a growing body of literature that suggests a strong association between migraines and mood and anxiety disorders. PMID: 19134504 [PubMed - in process] (Source: General Hospital Psychiatry)

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Anxiety Sensitivity as a Moderator of the Association between Smoking Rate and Panic-Relevant Symptoms among a Community Sample of Middle-aged Adult Daily Smokers.

The American Journal on Addictions — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: McLeish AC, Zvolensky MJ, Del Ben KS, Burke RS The aim of the present investigation was to evaluate the moderating role of anxiety sensitivity (AS) in the relation between smoking rate and panic vulnerability variables among a community-based sample of adults. Results indicated that the interaction between AS and smoking rate significantly predicted anxious arousal, agoraphobic avoidance, and anticipatory anxiety. Specifically, participants who reported higher levels of AS and heavier smoking rates reported the highest levels of panic vulnerability. These data suggest that this combination of high AS and heavier smoking is particularly problematic in regard to panic symptoms. PMID: 19219671 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: The American Journal on Addictions)

Anxiety sensitivity as a moderator of the association between smoking rate and panic-relevant symptoms among a community sample of middle-aged adult daily smokers.

American Journal on Addictions — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: McLeish AC, Zvolensky MJ, Del Ben KS, Burke RS The aim of the present investigation was to evaluate the moderating role of anxiety sensitivity (AS) in the relation between smoking rate and panic vulnerability variables among a community-based sample of adults. Results indicated that the interaction between AS and smoking rate significantly predicted anxious arousal, agoraphobic avoidance, and anticipatory anxiety. Specifically, participants who reported higher levels of AS and heavier smoking rates reported the highest levels of panic vulnerability. These data suggest that this combination of high AS and heavier smoking is particularly problematic in regard to panic symptoms. PMID: 19219671 [PubMed - in process] (Source: American Journal on Addictions)

The anxiety disorder spectrum: Fear imagery, physiological reactivity, and differential diagnosis.

Anxiety, Stress, and Coping — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 08:52:56 +0100

Authors: Lang PJ, McTeague LM This review considers recent research assessing psychophysiological reactivity to fear imagery in anxiety disorder patients. As in animal subjects, fear cues prompt in humans a state of defensive motivation in which autonomic and somatic survival reflexes are markedly enhanced. Thus, a startle stimulus presented in a fear context yields a stronger (potentiated) reflex, providing a quantitative measure of fearful arousal. This fear potentiation is further exaggerated in specific or social phobia individuals when viewing pictures or imagining the phobic object. Paradoxically, fear imagery studies with more severe anxiety disorder patients - panic disorder with agoraphobia, generalized anxiety disorder, or anxious patients with comorbid depression - show a bl...

Nocturnal Urinary Cortisol Excretion Over a Randomized Controlled Trial with Paroxetine vs. Placebo Combined with Relaxation Training or Aerobic Exercise in Panic Disorder.

Current Pharmaceutical Design — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 15:52:43 +0100

Discussion: HPA function shows significant gender differences, with females having a higher HPA function variability. Future studies on HPA function in treatment trials should address gender and medication effects. PMID: 19075728 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Current Pharmaceutical Design)

[Research papers] Space and motion discomfort and abnormal balance control in patients with anxiety disorders

Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusion: In patients with anxiety disorders, higher SMD is indicative of somatosensory dependence in the control of balance. The absence of both panic and fear of heights reduces the probability of having peripheral vestibular dysfunction. Future research should examine if vestibular rehabilitation can be of value for patients with anxiety disorders complicated by SMD. (Source: Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry)

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[Research papers] Space and motion discomfort and abnormal balance control in patients with anxiety disorders

Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 05:00:00 +0100

Beat the Winter Blues and help anxiety sufferers

ANXIETY UK News — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Feel good in more ways than one this Winter beat Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), and help anxiety sufferers in Manchester and beyond Anxiety UK, Britains largest anxiety disorders charity is based in Hulme, and is inviting the people of the region to join their team raising badly needed funds for anxiety sufferers by running in the Great Manchester Run. Leading Anxiety UKs team of runners who will be taking part in the Great Manchester Run in May 2009, is Nicky Lidbetter, the charitys Chief Executive. Nicky has had personal experience of agoraphobia and found exercise, particularly running, to be key to managing her anxiety. One in ten people will suffer from a disabling anxiety disorder at some point in their lives. This is a problem which touches all of our lives in some...

Short-term full kindling of the amygdala dissociates natural and periaqueductal gray-evoked flight behaviors of the rat.

Behavioural Brain Research — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Tannure RM, Bittencourt AS, Schenberg LC Panic attacks present a high comorbidity with agoraphobia, separation anxiety and generalized anxiety disorder. Nevertheless, while panic attacks have been frequently equated to fear, the relationship of panic disorder with specific phobias remains uncertain. The combination of experimental models of panic and phobias could but afford valuable information about both the comorbidity and causation of these disorders. As it regards, while the defensive behaviors produced by stimulation of dorsal periaqueductal gray matter (DPAG) resemble a panic attack, resistance to capture (RC) behaviors that ensue the kindling of the amygdala (AMY) are reminiscent of a phobic reaction. Therefore, this study examined the thresholds of DPAG-evoked panic-l...

Psychiatric epidemiology of the elderly population in chile.

Am J Geriatr Psychia... — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: Both lifetime and 1-year prevalence of mental disorders were less common in older than in younger persons; however, among elderly adults late onset disorders were not uncommon. Additional studies of the prevalence rates of disorders among older individuals in Latin America are needed for public health planning. PMID: 19038901 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Am J Geriatr Psychia...)

Religious Participation and DSM-IV Disorders Among Older African Americans: Findings From the National Survey of American Life.

Am J Geriatr Psychia... — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: This is the first study to investigate the relationship between religious participation and serious mental disorders among a national sample of older African Americans. The inverse relationship between religious service attendance and mood disorders is discussed. Implications for mental health treatment underscore the importance of assessing religious orientations to render more culturally sensitive care. PMID: 19038894 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Am J Geriatr Psychia...)

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The Epidemiology of Psychiatric Disorders in Quebec's Older Adult Population.

Canadian Journal of Psychiatry — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: Our results indicate that a large proportion of the elderly population in Quebec presents mental health needs. Longitudinal research focusing on the individual and social consequences of mental health problems reported by older adults is needed to avoid misinterpretation of this finding. PMID: 19087480 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Canadian Journal of Psychiatry)

Early intervention in panic: randomized controlled trial and cost-effectiveness analysis

Trials — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 05:00:00 +0100

This study was designed to evaluate the (cost) effectiveness of an early intervention based on cognitive behavioural principles. The strong external validity is one of the strengths of the study design. Trial registration: Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN33407455. (Source: Trials)

[Regular Research Articles] Religious Participation and DSM-IV Disorders Among Older African Americans: Findings From the National Survey of American Life

Am J Geriatr Psychiatry — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 05:00:00 +0100

[Regular Research Articles] Psychiatric Epidemiology of the Elderly Population in Chile

Am J Geriatr Psychiatry — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 05:00:00 +0100

Panic disorder outcomes unaffected by bipolar II disorder comorbidity

MedWire News - Psychiatry — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Panic disorder patients with comorbid bipolar II disorder do not have worse panic-agoraphobic symptoms or outcomes than non-comorbid patients, despite having a more complex clinical profile, study findings suggest. (Source: MedWire News - Psychiatry)

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Panic disorder outcomes unaffected by bipolar II disorder comorbidity

MedWire News - Bipolar Disorder — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 00:00:00 +0100

[CLINICAL SYNTHESIS] Assessment of Panic Disorder Across the Life Span

FOCUS — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 05:00:00 +0100

This article provides a broad overview of various screening and assessment tools used to evaluate panic disorder across the lifespan. The article also highlights some of the developmental differences and variability in the clinical presentation of pediatric and geriatric panic disorder. (Source: FOCUS)

[INFLUENTIAL PUBLICATIONS] Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Panic Disorder and Comorbidity: More of the Same or Less of More?

FOCUS — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 05:00:00 +0100

This study compared the effects of a higher dose of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for panic disorder versus CBT for panic disorder combined with "straying" to CBT for comorbid disorders in individuals with a principal diagnosis of panic disorder with or without agoraphobia. Sixty-five participants were randomly assigned to one of two treatment conditions, either CBT focused solely upon panic disorder and agoraphobia or CBT that simultaneously addressed panic disorder and agoraphobia and, to a lesser degree, the most severe comorbid condition. Results indicated a significant reduction in panic disorder severity and a decline in severity of comorbid diagnoses across both treatment conditions. However, individuals receiving CBT focused only on panic disorder were more likely to meet high...

[INFLUENTIAL PUBLICATIONS] Psychotherapy Plus Antidepressant for Panic Disorder With or Without Agoraphobia: Systematic Review

FOCUS — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: Either combined therapy or psychotherapy alone may be chosen as first-line treatment for panic disorder with or without agoraphobia, depending on the patient's preferences. (Reprinted with permission from British Journal of Psychiatry 2006; 188:305–312) (Source: FOCUS)

[INFLUENTIAL PUBLICATIONS] Influence of Psychiatric Comorbidity on Recovery and Recurrence in Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Social Phobia, and Panic Disorder: A 12-Year Prospective Study

FOCUS — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: These data depict the anxiety disorders as insidious, with a chronic clinical course, low rates of recovery, and relatively high probabilities of recurrence. The presence of particular comorbid psychiatric disorders significantly lowered the likelihood of recovery from anxiety disorders and increased the likelihood of their recurrence. The findings add to the understanding of the nosology and treatment of these disorders. (Reprinted with permission from American Journal of Psychiatry 2005; 162:1179–1187) (Source: FOCUS)

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Patients With Anxiety Disorders Think They Have More Physiological Problems Than They Really Have, According To Study

ScienceDaily Headlines — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 03:44:43 +0100

New research shows that patients with serious anxiety disorders (panic disorder with and without agoraphobia, social anxiety disorder or generalized anxiety disorder) think they suffer more physiological (palpitations, sweating, irregular breathing, shaking of the hands and muscular tension, etc.) than they really have. In other words, although many patients with anxiety disorders have orally reported very intense physiological symptoms in surveys and questionaires, they are hyporeactive when real measures of such symptoms are taken through physiological tests. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)

Patients With Anxiety Disorders Think They Have More Physiological Problems Than They Really Have, According To A Study

Health News from Medical News Today — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 08:00:00 +0100

A doctoral thesis carried out at the University of Granada has proved that patients with serious anxiety disorders (panic disorder with and without agoraphobia, social anxiety disorder or generalized anxiety disorder) think they suffer more physiological (palpitations, sweating, irregular breathing, shaking of the hands and muscular tension â€¦) than they really have. (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Patients With Anxiety Disorders Think They Have More Physiological Problems Than They Really Have

Health News from Medical News Today — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 13:00:00 +0100

Evidence-based guidelines for interpretation of the Panic Disorder Severity Scale

Depression and Anxiety — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusion: We propose that "remission" of panic disorder be defined by PDSS scores of five or less and its "response" by 40% or greater reduction. Depression and Anxiety 0:1-8, 2008. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. (Source: Depression and Anxiety)