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[The first panic attack: a missed chance for prevention of panic disorder and its complications]
M Amering1, P Berger, K Dantendorfer
1Klinische Abteilung für Sozialpsychiatrie und Evaluationsforschung, Universitätsklinik für Psychiatrie, Wien.
Objective:
Assessment and analysis of first medical consultations and their significance in panic disorder patients.
Methods:
90 panic disorder patients were interviewed concerning their experiences with the medical system at the time of their first panic attack.
Results:
Panic disorder patients contacted mostly non-psychiatric medical services at the time of their first panic attack. The correct diagnosis was established in only 4 cases (5.6%).
Conclusions:
An important chance for secondary prevention of the development of panic disorder is missed, probably due to the poor education of physicians on panic attacks.