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High cholesterol levels in patients with panic disorder
W K Bajwa1, G M Asnis, W C Sanderson
1Department of Psychiatry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY 10467-2490.
The American Journal of Psychiatry
|March 1, 1992
Summary
Patients with panic disorder exhibit elevated serum cholesterol levels compared to those with major depression or healthy individuals. This finding suggests a specific link between panic disorder and higher cholesterol, potentially due to neurochemical factors.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Neurobiology
- Cardiovascular Health
Background:
- Elevated cholesterol levels are sometimes observed in psychiatric patients.
- The specific association of cholesterol with panic disorder versus other psychiatric conditions requires clarification.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if higher cholesterol levels are unique to panic disorder or associated with any psychiatric disorder.
- To compare cholesterol levels in panic disorder patients, major depression patients, and healthy controls.
Main Methods:
- Recruited 30 patients with panic disorder, 30 with major depression, and 30 healthy controls, matched for age and sex.
- Excluded subjects with alcohol/drug abuse, abnormal ECGs, or unstable medical conditions.
- Measured serum cholesterol levels from blood samples drawn at random times.
Main Results:
- Serum cholesterol levels were significantly higher in patients with panic disorder compared to both major depression patients and healthy controls.
- Patients with major depression and a history of anxiety disorders showed elevated cholesterol.
- Stable medical conditions did not correlate with higher cholesterol levels in any group.
Conclusions:
- Panic disorder is distinctly associated with higher cholesterol levels compared to major depression.
- Increased noradrenergic activity is hypothesized as a potential biological mechanism linking panic disorder and elevated cholesterol.