Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Somatized psychiatric disorder presenting as palpitations

A J Barsky1, B A Delamater, S A Clancy

  • 1Division of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

Archives of Internal Medicine
|May 27, 1996
PubMed
Summary

Psychiatric disorders are often overlooked in primary care when patients present with physical symptoms like palpitations. Despite physician awareness, these patients rarely receive psychiatric treatment or referral.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

The potential for spills and leaks of contaminated liquids from shale gas developments.

The Science of the total environment·2018
Same author

An assessment of the footprint and carrying capacity of oil and gas well sites: The implications for limiting hydrocarbon reserves.

The Science of the total environment·2017
Same author

Is it best to expect the worst? Influence of patients' side-effect expectations on endocrine treatment outcome in a 2-year prospective clinical cohort study.

Annals of oncology : official journal of the European Society for Medical Oncology·2016
Same author

Rethinking psychopharmacotherapy: The role of treatment context and brain plasticity in antidepressant and antipsychotic interventions.

Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews·2015
Same author

Is somatosensory amplification a risk factor for an increased report of side effects? Reference data from the German general population.

Journal of psychosomatic research·2015
Same author

Edoxaban vs. warfarin in patients with atrial fibrillation on amiodarone: a subgroup analysis of the ENGAGE AF-TIMI 48 trial.

European heart journal·2015

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Psychiatry
  • Primary Care Medicine

Background:

  • Psychiatric disorders are frequently underdiagnosed in primary care settings.
  • Somatic symptoms, such as palpitations, often mask underlying psychiatric conditions.
  • Palpitations are a common somatized symptom in patients presenting with physical complaints.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the prevalence of psychiatric disorders in medical outpatients referred for palpitations.
  • To assess the relationship between psychiatric disorders and the characteristics of palpitations.
  • To examine physician awareness and management of psychiatric components in patients with palpitations.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective study of 125 outpatients referred for ambulatory electrocardiographic monitoring due to palpitations.

Related Experiment Videos

  • In-person research interviews and 3-month telephone follow-up interviews were conducted.
  • Physician questionnaires were completed before monitoring results and at 3-month follow-up.

    • Main Results:

    • 29% of patients without significant cardiac arrhythmias had a psychiatric disorder, primarily major depression or panic disorder.
    • Patients with psychiatric disorders reported younger age, greater disability, more somatization, and health-related hypochondriacal concerns.
    • Despite physician awareness, psychiatric treatment or referral was uncommon, even for patients with diagnosed psychiatric disorders.

    Conclusions:

    • Physicians recognize a psychiatric element in patients presenting with palpitations.
    • Awareness of a psychiatric component does not consistently lead to appropriate psychiatric treatment or referral.
    • Further research and improved clinical pathways are needed to address underdiagnosed psychiatric disorders presenting as physical symptoms.