Panic attack: a warning sign of cardiovascular disease?

People prone to panic attacks are more likely to suffer a heart attack or be suffering from cardiovascular disease, especially before age 50, according to British researchers. They examined the health records of more than 400 000 people of different ages. Of these, 57 615 adults had been diagnosed with a crisis or a panic disorder. The results of the étude1 show that after an initial panic attack, patients under 50 years experienced more infarction or more were suffering from cardiovascular disease than those who had experienced any panic .
Especially women The link was even more marked among women aged 16 to 40 years who have had panic attacks. They ran a risk three times higher to suffer a heart attack than those who did not panic. For against, whether or not to panic-stricken, the women of this age group were at similar risk of suffering from cardiovascular disease. According to researchers from University College London, it is likely that several diagnoses of panic in fact prove to cardiovascular disorders. A warning "These results do not establish a clear link between panic and a predisposition to cardiovascular disease," says Dr. Willin Rozefort, Head of Department of General Medicine at the Institute Douglas. But she says, the study is a kind of "flashing light" for physicians who receive clinical management of patients with panic disorder. "Even if the patient has less than 50 years and shows no history of cardiovascular disease, the physician should conduct the necessary tests to ensure that a coronary disorder is not an issue," says Dr. Rozefort. It is estimated that 1.8% of the population live periods of panic, but this would be underestimated, as only a last resort that many patients consult for this condition.