Chest pain, panic disorder and coronary artery disease: a systematic review.

Chest pain may be due benign diseases but often suggests an association with coronary artery disease, which justifies a quick search for medical care. However, some people have anxiety disorder with symptoms that resemble clearly an acute coronary syndrome. More specifically, during a panic attack an abrupt feeling of fear accompanied by symptoms such as breathlessness, palpitations and chest pain, makes patients believe they have a heart attack and confuse physicians about the diagnosis.

Myocardial perfusion imaging study of CO(2)-induced panic attack.

Chest pain is often seen alongside with panic attacks. Moreover, panic disorder has been suggested as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and even a trigger for acute coronary syndrome. Patients with coronary artery disease may have myocardial ischemia in response to mental stress, in which panic attack is a strong component, by an increase in coronary vasomotor tone or sympathetic hyperactivity setting off an increase in myocardial oxygen consumption.

Panic attack triggering myocardial ischemia documented by myocardial perfusion imaging study. A case report.

Background: Chest pain, a key element in the investigation of coronary artery disease is often regarded as a benign prognosis when present in panic attacks. However, panic disorder has been suggested as an independent risk factor for long-term prognosis of cardiovascular diseases and a trigger of acute myocardial infarction.

Objective: Faced with the extreme importance in differentiate from ischemic to non-ischemic chest pain, we report a case of panic attack induced by inhalation of 35% carbon dioxide triggering myocardial ischemia, documented by myocardial perfusion imaging study.

Anxiety, panic disorder and coronary artery disease: issues concerning physical exercise and cognitive behavioral therapy.

Psychological factors such as stress and depression have already been established as primary and secondary cardiovascular risk factors. More recently, the role of anxiety in increasing cardiac risk has also been studied. The underlying mechanisms of increased cardiac risk in panic disorder patients seem to reflect the direct and indirect effects of autonomic dysfunction, as well as behavioral risk factors associated with an unhealthy lifestyle.

Use of the hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS) in a cardiac emergency room: chest pain unit.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of anxiety and depression in patients complaining of chest pain who seek a chest pain unit attendance.

Introduction: Patients arriving at a Chest Pain Unit may present psychiatric disorders not identified, isolated or co-morbid to the main illness, which may interfere in the patient prognosis.

Methodology: Patients were assessed by the 'Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale' as a screening instrument wile following a systematized protocol to rule out the diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome and other potentially fatal diseases.