Background:
The DSM-IV outlines a panic attack as a distinct period of intense fear or discomfort which is accompanied by a minimum of 4 out of 13 listed somatic or cognitive symptoms. This is often associated with a sense of impending doom and the urge to escape which may leave ones psychological and physical functioning impaired. These are all signs of several Anxiety disorders. The aim of the study is to investigate the incidence of Panic attacks amongst patients presenting to an Emergency Department in a tertiary care hospital of Karachi, Pakistan.
Methods:
This cross-sectional study was conducted at the Emergency Department, Ziauddin University Hospital Clifton. Patients included in the study were those who had no previous co-morbid or psychiatric disorders except for Panic attacks, and who displayed a minimum of four signs for a Panic attack according to the DSM -4 criteria of Panic attacks. Patients included in the study were between the ages of 15-50 years. The total sample size fitting the aforementioned requirements came to 1506 patients.
Results:
The prevalence of Panic attacks amongst patients in the Emergency Department was an astonishing 9.49%. Division according to sex demonstrated a female predominance at 62.9% while males made up 37.1% of the total. The age group which was most effected was 30-34 years of age. Variation with relevance to time of day displayed that 44.8% of cases presented in the night time followed by evening and morning.
Conclusion:
It is evident that Panic attacks are a common finding amongst patients in an Emergency Department, be it due to new onset Panic Disorder, social phobias or other causes .Keeping the prevalence of mental disorders in mind, specifically Anxiety Disorders of which Panic attacks are a subset, further research into the causes, immediate and comparatively effective treatment needs to be done as well as emphasis on accurate diagnosis at the primary care level.
Key Words:
Panic attack, Anxiety, Emergency Department, prevalence, Pakistan, DSM-I
