Panic disorder in Singapore: clinical features and comparisons with generalised anxiety disorder

Fifty-eight outpatients with panic disorder (PD) were examined to determine their clinical features in comparison with a cohort of 52 patients with generalised anxiety disorder (GAD). Both groups were of comparable age, sex, educational level, marital status and ethnicity. PD patients were more likely to complain of palpitations, breathlessness, chest pain, numbness, choking sensations and especially fear of dying. GAD patients tended to complain of feeling tense, insomnia, headaches, weakness, restlessness and muscle aches. PD patients had greater comorbidity especially with agoraphobia and depression. Contrary to other reports, there were more males than females in both groups but alcohol dependence and suicide attempts were relatively rare. PD symptoms seemed more distressing, caused more social and occupational disruption, led to more requests for medical investigations and earlier psychiatric consultations. These factors seemed to suggest that panic disorder is a more severe illness than generalised anxiety disorder.