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[Myocardial infarct, functional heart symptoms and panic syndrome]
J Margraf1, E DeVries-Wehrhahn, S Sonnentag
1Fachereich Psychologie, Philipps-Universität Marburg.
Psychotherapie, Psychosomatik, Medizinische Psychologie
|January 1, 1991
Summary
Differentiating between anxiety-induced cardiac symptoms and actual myocardial infarction is challenging. Functional cardiac patients exhibit more severe symptoms and panic disorder, unlike those with myocardial infarction.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Psychiatry
- Psychosomatic Medicine
Context:
- Cardiovascular symptoms are common in anxiety disorders.
- Distinguishing between functional cardiac complaints and myocardial infarction is clinically significant.
- Previous research highlights the overlap in symptoms.
Purpose:
- To compare the "heart attack" experiences and psychological profiles of patients with functional cardiac complaints versus those with myocardial infarction.
- To identify key differences that aid in differential diagnosis.
Summary:
- Patients with functional cardiac complaints reported more dramatic symptoms and pain localization mimicking myocardial infarction compared to actual infarction patients.
- Functional patients demonstrated increased help-seeking behavior and difficulty identifying attack triggers.
- A significant portion of functional patients met diagnostic criteria for panic disorder, with a higher prevalence of other psychological disorders.
Impact:
- Findings suggest that severe, infarction-like symptoms can arise from functional cardiac complaints, often linked to panic disorder.
- Highlights the importance of considering psychological comorbidities in patients presenting with cardiac symptoms.
- Aids clinicians in differentiating between psychosomatic and organic cardiac events.