Chest pain and breathlessness: relationship to psychiatric illness

Chest pain and breathlessness are common somatic symptoms of emotional disorder in ambulatory care. Chronic chest pain has a prevalence of 12% and is associated with high utilization of health care. Of patients with chest pain and breathlessness who are referred to a cardiac clinic but subsequently shown not to have heart disease, the majority continue to report symptoms. Those patients with the worst outcome, in terms of continuing limitation of activity and use of medical resources, are those with chest pain but normal coronary arteries. A number of studies that fail to support a unitary theory of causation of noncardiac chest pain are described. A multifactorial, interactive model is proposed, with contributions from physical factors, such as palpitations and intercostal muscle pain; psychologic factors, which include enhanced awareness of and selective attention to bodily sensation; and environmental factors, such as previous exposure to cardiorespiratory disease in first-degree relatives or significant others. Although there have been few controlled intervention studies in patients with unexplained cardiorespiratory symptoms, there is evidence for the efficacy of both drug treatments and psychologic treatment. The results of intervention studies in patients with chest pain and normal coronary arteries are eagerly awaited. Atypical chest pain and breathlessness are common causes of office consultations and/or functional disability. The diagnoses should be established on the basis of positive evidence of psychiatric illness rather than by exclusion. The etiology is multifactorial, and management is aimed at treating the underlying psychosocial problems and/or psychiatric illness. Cognitive-behavioral treatments are probably as effective as drug treatments in the short-term, and the care of these patients would be improved by a more detailed explanation of noncardiac causes and a greater opportunity for patients to discuss their fears.