Cardiac rate and rhythm in panic patients

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Psychiatry
• Clinical Medicine

Background:

• Panic disorder and agoraphobia are associated with significant psychological distress.
• Cardiac manifestations during panic attacks require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess cardiac rate and rhythm in patients with panic disorder using ambulatory monitoring.
• To determine the prevalence and type of arrhythmias during panic episodes.

Main Methods:

• Ambulatory monitoring of cardiac rate and rhythm.
• Inclusion of 23 patients diagnosed with panic disorder or agoraphobia with panic attacks.
• Analysis of heart rate and arrhythmia occurrence during symptomatic and asymptomatic periods.

Main Results:

• Patients exhibited a higher mean daily density of ventricular premature complexes (VPCs).
• Heart rate was elevated during panic intervals compared to asymptomatic periods.
• Arrhythmias were more prevalent during symptomatic intervals (panic, partial panic, anxiety) than asymptomatic ones, predominantly as simple VPCs.

Conclusions:

• While panic episodes can increase heart rate and VPCs, complex ventricular arrhythmias are uncommon.
• Arrhythmias during panic attacks are typically simple VPCs and not indicative of severe cardiac events.
• Ambulatory monitoring provides valuable insights into cardiac function during panic episodes.