Panic disorder associated with mitral valve prolapse: psychosomatic implications

Findings of the second part of the clinical study initiated in 1982 are presented. Both aimed to determine possible clinical differences among panic disorder, agoraphobia with panic attacks and mitral valve prolapse syndrome (MVPS). Such clinical psychiatric differences could be useful because MVPS poses potentially dangerous consequences in patients with a high rate of serious cardiac and neurological complications. The first part of the study included 35 patients, 20 of whom were confirmed MVPS. This group appeared distinguishable by the increased frequency of fear of doing something uncontrolled and, even more so, by the anger-rage symptoms manifested during the attacks. In the present study of 100 patients, 36 of whom were documented MVPS, fear of doing something uncontrolled was not greater, although attacks of anger and rage were again higher than in the other two groups and exceeded 5% standard deviation. In all other psychological dimensions, the three groups did not differ from one another. This paper considers possible causes and consequences of symptoms seen in the MVPS.