New-Onset Panic Disorder Is Associated with Coronary Disease

The prevalence of panic disorder is nearly 2% in the general population in North America and Europe. Although symptoms can mimic those of a cardiac event, little is known about the relation between panic disorder and cardiac disease. To examine the association, investigators in the U.K. compared incidences of new-onset coronary disease, myocardial infarction, and cardiac mortality in 57,615 adults with new-onset panic attack or disorder and 347,039 controls matched for age and sex who were identified from a database of 650 general practices (1990–2002).

Panic attack or disorder was associated with a significantly increased risk for MI in patients younger than 50 (hazard ratio, 1.38) but not in older patients. In all age groups, the incidence…