Is there cardiac risk in panic disorder? An updated systematic review

Anxiety, a significant risk factor for coronary artery disease: what is the best index

BACKGROUND

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is known as the leading cause of disability and death globally. Anxiety disorders are also recognized as common types of mental disorders that substantially impact global health. Iran ranks among the countries with a high incidence of CAD and anxiety disorders. Therefore, the present study aims to determine the potential association and epidemiological aspects of anxiety and CAD within the population of Mashhad, the second most popoulos city in Iran.

METHODS

The present study is based on extracted data from the Mashhad stroke and heart atherosclerotic disorder (MASHAD) study which is a 10-year prospective cohort study intended to assess the effects of various CAD risk factors among Mashhad city residents. Anxiety scores were assessed at the baseline using Beck Anxiety Inventory and individuals were classified based on the BAI 4-factor structure model which included autonomic, cognitive, panic, and neuromotor components. Accordingly, the association between baseline anxiety scores and the BAI four-factor model with the risk of CAD events was analyzed using SPSS software version 21.

RESULTS

Based on the results, 60.4% of the sample were female, and 5.6% were classified as having severe forms of anxiety. Moreover, severe anxiety was more prevalent in females. Results showed a 1.7% risk of CAD (p-value < 0.001) over 10 years with one unit increase in anxiety score. Based on the 4-factor model structure, we found that only panic disorder could significantly increase the risk of CAD by 1.1% over the 10-year follow-up (p-value < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Anxiety symptoms, particularly panic disorder, are independently and significantly associated with an increased overall risk of developing CAD over a 10-year period. Therefore, further studies are warranted to investigate the mechanisms through which anxiety may cause CAD, as well as possible interventions to mitigate these processes.

Pharmacological approaches to the management of panic disorder in older patients: a systematic review

INTRODUCTION

Recommendations for treating panic disorder (PD) in older patients are scarce. The authors have systematically reviewed whether several recommended medications are superior to others and their optimal doses in this age group.

METHODS

A database search of studies involving patients with PD with/without agoraphobia aged ≥ 60 years was carried out using PubMed, PsycINFO, Embase, and Clinical Trials.gov, from their inception dates to 1 March 2023. Only four (published from 2002 to 2010) of the 1292 records screened were included. A risk of bias assessment was provided. This systematic review was performed using The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA).

RESULTS

Two studies were randomized clinical trials, whereas two were open-label, including paroxetine, citalopram, escitalopram, and sertraline; three studies reported short-term evaluations, whereas one study included a 26-week follow-up. Medications provided benefits, with good tolerability. Preliminary results suggested greater benefits of paroxetine in reducing panic attacks vs. cognitive - behavioral therapy, and an earlier decrease in PAs with escitalopram vs. citalopram. Risk of bias was considerable.

CONCLUSIONS

The pharmacological management of PD in older patients has received no attention. Findings are scant, dated, and affected by methodological flaws; thus, they do not provide significant advances.

Alterations in heart rate variability and pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF-alpha in individuals with panic disorder

Based on the autonomic flexibility-neurovisceral integration model, panic disorder (PD) has been associated with a generalized proinflammatory state and lower cardiac vagal tone. The heart rate variability (HRV) provides an index of cardiac autonomic function and reflects the parasympathetic innervation to the heart regulated by the vagus nerve. The aim of this study was to explore the heart rate variability, pro-inflammatory cytokines and their associations in individuals with PD. Short-term HRV with time and frequency domain indices as well as pro-inflammatory cytokines Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha (TNF-alpha) were assessed in seventy individuals with PD (mean age: 35.64 ± 14.21 years) and thirty-three healthy controls (mean age: 38.33 ± 14.14 years). Individuals with PD showed significantly lower HRV in the time and frequency domain parameters during a short-term resting condition. A lower TNF-alpha concentration could be observed in individuals with PD in comparison to healthy controls, but no differences in IL-6. Furthermore, the HRV parameter absolute power in the low-frequency band 0.04-0.15 Hz (LF) predicted TNF-alpha concentrations. In conclusion, a lower cardiac vagal tone, decreased adaptive autonomic nervous system (ANS), and higher pro-inflammatory cytokine state could be observed in individuals with PD compared to healthy controls.

Cardiorespiratory Assessments in Panic Disorder Facilitated by Wearable Devices: A Systematic Review and Brief Comparison of the Wearable Zephyr BioPatch with the Quark-b2 Stationary Testing System

Abnormalities in cardiorespiratory measurements have repeatedly been found in patients with panic disorder (PD) during laboratory-based assessments. However, recordings performed outside laboratory settings are required to test the ecological validity of these findings. Wearable devices, such as sensor-imbedded garments, biopatches, and smartwatches, are promising tools for this purpose. We systematically reviewed the evidence for wearables-based cardiorespiratory assessments in PD by searching for publications on the PubMed, PsycINFO, and Embase databases, from inception to 30 July 2022. After the screening of two-hundred and twenty records, eight studies were included. The limited number of available studies and critical aspects related to the uncertain reliability of wearables-based assessments, especially concerning respiration, prevented us from drawing conclusions about the cardiorespiratory function of patients with PD in daily life. We also present preliminary data on a pilot study conducted on volunteers at the Villa San Benedetto Menni Hospital for evaluating the accuracy of heart rate (HR) and breathing rate (BR) measurements by the wearable Zephyr BioPatch compared with the Quark-b2 stationary testing system. Our exploratory results suggested possible BR and HR misestimation by the wearable Zephyr BioPatch compared with the Quark-b2 system. Challenges of wearables-based cardiorespiratory assessment and possible solutions to improve their reliability and optimize their significant potential for the study of PD pathophysiology are presented.

Does panic disorder increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases in diabetics?: A nationwide population-based study

BACKGROUND

Several studies have suggested a link between panic disorder (PD) and cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, the extent to which PD confers risk for CVD is still unclear, particularly in diabetics, a group showing high risk for CVD.

METHODS

A nationwide population-based cohort of 1,624,718 patients with type 2 diabetes were selected from the National Health Screening Program database covering the years 2009 to 2012. The subjects were divided into two groups: those without panic disorder (non-PD group, n = 1,618,263) and those with newly diagnosed PD (PD-group, n = 6455). Follow-up of subjects for up to 10 years was conducted for evaluation of the incidences of myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, and death.

RESULTS

After adjusting for the baseline covariates and diabetes mellitus (DM)-related variables, no difference in the future risk of MI and stroke was observed between the non-PD group and the PD group. Compared with the non-PD group, the PD group showed an increase in the future risk of death. [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) = 1.120, 95 % confidence interval (CI): 1.039-1.206]. In contrast to the population aged <40 and > 65 years, in the age group of 40-64 years a significantly higher risk of stroke was observed in the PD group compared with the non-PD group (aHR = 1.352, 95%CI: 1.136-1.610).

LIMITATION

The diagnoses were based on the diagnostic codes of the claim data.

CONCLUSION

The current findings suggested that PD might not contribute to the risk of future MI and stroke in diabetics who have already been at risk of various cardiovascular complications.

Premature death and causes of death among patients with panic disorder and comorbid psychiatric disorders: A nationwide cohort study

OBJECTIVES

Panic disorder (PD) is associated with high psychiatric and physical comorbidity, but the cause of mortality has not been well studied. This study investigated mortality rates and causes of death in an Asian cohort with PD.

METHODS

We enrolled a nationwide retrospective cohort of 298,466 persons diagnosed with PD from January 1, 2001, to December 31, 2016. Each cohort member was matched with a comparison one randomly selected from the general population with the same sex, age at entry, and birth year. The data of both the PD cohort and the comparison group were linked with the national mortality database to obtain each individual's mortality status. We used mortality rate ratios (MRRs) to compare mortality risks between the patients with PD and the general population. Stratified analysis of mortality risks was performed based on sex and psychiatric comorbidities.

RESULTS

PD was associated with a slightly increased mortality risk (MRR, 1.14 [99% CI, 1.11-1.17]). The risk of unnatural death (MRR, 2.83 [99% CI, 2.59-3.10]) was significantly higher among the individuals with PD than among the general population, whereas the risk of overall natural death across all categories was not (MRR, 1.01 [99% CI, 0.98-1.04]). The mortality risk was the highest for suicide (MRR, 4.94 [99% CI, 4.32-5.72]) and was higher in women (MRR, 6.37 [99% CI, 5.25-7.96]) than in men (MRR, 3.77 [99% CI, 3.14-4.64]). Comorbid substance use disorders increased the risk of mortality from natural (MRR, 3.23 [99% CI, 2.59-4.14]) and unnatural (MRR, 9.45 [99% CI, 6.29-17.85]) causes.

CONCLUSION

PD was associated with increased all-cause mortality, especially suicide. Substance use further increased mortality risk in persons with PD. Targeted treatment for substance use and suicide prevention are essential among persons with PD.

Effect of a Biofeedback Intervention on Heart Rate Variability in Individuals With Panic Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Trial

OBJECTIVE

Some individuals with panic disorder (PD) display reduced heart rate variability (HRV), which may result in an increased risk of cardiovascular mortality. Heart rate variability-biofeedback (HRV-BF) training has been shown to improve the modulation of the autonomic activity. Therefore, this randomized controlled trial was conducted to investigate the effect of a 4-week HRV-BF intervention in individuals with PD. HRV-BF training improved the modulation of the autonomic activity. Therefore, with this randomized controlled trial, we aimed to investigate the effect of a 4-week HRV-BF intervention in people with PD.

METHODS

Thirty-six women and 16 men with PD (mean age = 35.85 [15.60] years) were randomly allocated either to HRV-BF with 0.1-Hz breathing as intervention group or to HRV-Sham-BF as active control group. HRV-BF was performed for 4 weeks, whereas HRV was measured both during a short-term resting condition and during a paced breathing condition before and after intervention.

RESULTS

HRV-BF with 0.1-Hz breathing increased HRV and reduced panic symptoms in individuals with PD. HRV-BF with 0.1-Hz breathing demonstrated an increase in the time and frequency domain parameters of HRV during the short-term resting condition (ΔPost-Pre root mean square successive differences: 5.87 [14.03] milliseconds; ΔPost-Pre standard deviation of all NN intervals: 11.63 [17.06] milliseconds; ΔPost-Pre total power: 464.88 [1825.47] milliseconds2; ΔPost-Pre power in low-frequency range 0.04-0.15 Hz: 312.73 [592.71] milliseconds2), a decrease in the heart rate during the paced breathing condition (ΔPost-Pre: -5.87 [9.14] beats/min), and a decrease in the Panic and Agoraphobia Scale (ΔPost-Pre: -3.64 [6.30]). There was no intervention effect in the HRV-Sham-BF group.

CONCLUSIONS

HRV-BF as a noninvasive and nonpharmacological treatment seems to be an important intervention option to improve reduced HRV and decrease panic symptoms in individuals with PD. Future studies are needed to establish whether these effects translate to reductions in the risk of cardiovascular disease in PD.

Effect of Exercise, Escitalopram, or Placebo on Anxiety in Patients With Coronary Heart Disease: The Understanding the Benefits of Exercise and Escitalopram in Anxious Patients With Coronary Heart Disease (UNWIND) Randomized Clinical Trial

IMPORTANCE

Anxiety is common among patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) and is associated with worse health outcomes; however, effective treatment for anxiety in patients with CHD is uncertain.

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether exercise and escitalopram are better than placebo in reducing symptoms of anxiety as measured by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression-Anxiety Subscale (HADS-A) and in improving CHD risk biomarkers.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

This randomized clinical trial was conducted between January 2016 and May 2020 in a tertiary care teaching hospital in the US and included 128 outpatients with stable CHD and a diagnosed anxiety disorder or a HADS-A score of 8 or higher who were older than 40 years, sedentary, and not currently receiving mental health treatment.

INTERVENTIONS

Twelve weeks of aerobic exercise 3 times per week at an intensity of 70% to 85% heart rate reserve, escitalopram (up to 20 mg per day), or placebo pill equivalent.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

The primary outcome was HADS-A score. CHD biomarkers included heart rate variability, baroreflex sensitivity, and flow-mediated dilation, along with 24-hour urinary catecholamines.

RESULTS

The study included 128 participants. The mean (SD) age was 64.6 (9.6) years, and 37 participants (29%) were women. Participants randomized to the exercise group and escitalopram group reported greater reductions in HADS-A (exercise, -4.0; 95% CI, -4.7 to -3.2; escitalopram, -5.7; 95% CI, -6.4 to -5.0) compared with those randomized to placebo (-3.5; 95% CI, -4.5 to -2.4; P = .03); participants randomized to escitalopram reported less anxiety compared with those randomized to exercise (-1.67; 95% CI, -2.68 to -0.66; P = .002). Significant postintervention group differences in 24-hour urinary catecholamines were found (exercise z score = 0.05; 95% CI, -0.2 to 0.3; escitalopram z score = -0.24; 95% CI, -0.4 to 0; placebo z score = 0.36; 95% CI, 0 to 0.7), with greater reductions in the exercise group and escitalopram group compared with the placebo group (F1,127 = 4.93; P = .01) and greater reductions in the escitalopram group compared with the exercise group (F1,127 = 4.37; P = .04). All groups achieved comparable but small changes in CHD biomarkers, with no differences between treatment groups.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

Treatment of anxiety with escitalopram was safe and effective for reducing anxiety in patients with CHD. However, the beneficial effects of exercise on anxiety symptoms were less consistent. Exercise and escitalopram did not improve CHD biomarkers of risk, which should prompt further investigation of these interventions on clinical outcomes in patients with anxiety and CHD.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02516332.

Relapse prevention in panic disorder with pharmacotherapy: where are we now?

Introduction: A substantial number of patients with PD experience relapse after the discontinuation of effective pharmacotherapy, leading to detrimental effects on the individuals and considerable societal costs. This suggests the need to optimize pharmacotherapy to minimize relapse risk. Area covered: The present systematic review examines randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled relapse prevention studies published over the last 20 years involving recommended medications. The authors aim to provide an overview of this topic and evaluate whether recent advances were achieved. Only seven studies were included, providing limited results. One-year maintenance pharmacotherapy with constant doses had protective effects against relapse in patients who had previously exhibited satisfactory responses to the same medication at the same doses. The duration of maintenance treatment did not influence relapse risk. No data were available concerning the use of lower doses or the predictors of relapse. Expert opinion: Relapse prevention in PD has received limited attention. Recent progress and conclusive indications are lacking. Rethinking pharmacological research in PD may be productive. Collecting a wide range of clinical and individual features/biomarkers in large-scale, multicenter long-term naturalistic studies, and implementing recent technological innovations (e.g., electronic medical records/'big data' platforms, wearable devices, and machine learning techniques) may help identify reliable predictive models.

Mental disorders and total mortality after 20 years in an adult general population sample

Background.

General population data on associations between mental disorders and total mortality are rare. The aim was to analyze whether the number of mental disorders, single substance use, mood, anxiety, somatoform or eating disorders during the lifetime and whether treatment utilization may predict time to death 20 years later in the general adult population.

Methods.

We used data from the Composite International Diagnostic Interview, which includes DSM-IV diagnoses for substance use, mood, anxiety, somatoform, and eating disorders, for a sample of 4,075 residents in Germany who were 18–64 years old in 1996. Twenty years later, mortality was ascertained using the public mortality database for 4,028 study participants. Cox proportional hazards models were applied for disorders that existed at any time in life before the interview.

Results.

The data revealed increased hazard ratios (HRs) for number of mental disorders (three or more; HR 1.4; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.1–1.9) and for single disorders (alcohol dependence, dysthymia, panic disorder with agoraphobia, and hypochondriasis), with the reference group being study participants who had not suffered from any of the mental disorders analyzed and with adjustments made for age, sex, and education. Among individuals with any mental disorder during their lifetimes, having been an inpatient in treatment for a mental disorder was related to a higher HR (2.2; CI 1.6–3.0) than was not having been in any treatment for a mental disorder.

Conclusions.

In this sample of adults in the general population, three or more mental disorders, alcohol dependence, dysthymia, panic disorder with agoraphobia, and hypochondriasis were related to premature death.

Identification and medical utilization of newly diagnosed panic disorder: A Nationwide case-control study

OBJECTIVE

Ascertaining comorbid illnesses and patterns of medical utilization early in the course of psychiatric illness can help identify patients with panic disorder. We investigated how such cases were diagnosed and the comorbidities associated with newly diagnosed panic disorder in a nationwide database.

METHODS

We enrolled a large representative cohort of the general population in Taiwan (N = 1000,000) and selected 9759 cases of panic disorder from January 1, 2000 to December 31, 2013. The distribution of the departments in which the cases were identified and the medical utilization 12 months before diagnosis were analyzed. Based on a nested case-control study, four controls were randomly selected for each case and matched for sex, age, and incidence year. Conditional logistic regression was used to explore the factors associated with newly-diagnosed panic disorder such as demographic factors, concomitant medications, and physical and psychiatric comorbidities.

RESULTS

Most (58.5%) cases of panic disorder were diagnosed in the psychiatry department, whereas only 3.7% were identified in the emergency department. Before diagnosis, the patients frequently visited the departments of internal medicine, family practice, and Chinese herbal medicine. A multivariate analysis revealed a higher number of physical and psychiatric comorbidities before diagnosis in the cases compared with the controls, especially depressive disorder and other anxiety disorders.

CONCLUSIONS

Individuals with certain comorbidities and patterns of medical utilization are more likely to be diagnosed with panic disorder. We suggest providing more training to general practitioners and emergency physicians for the early diagnosis of panic disorder.

[Psychosocial Risk Factors in Patients With Most Common Cardiovascular Diseases Such as Hypertension and Coronary Artery Disease (Based on Results From the Russian Multicenter COMET Study)]

BACKGROUND

Psychosocial risk factors (RFs) play a major role in the development and progression of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs).

AIM

The COMET study aimed to obtain current data on psychosocial RFs in outpatients with arterial hypertension (AH) and/or coronary heart disease (CHD) seen in primary care facilities in 30 cities of Russia.

METHODS

In 2016-2017, a multicenter cross-sectional study was carried out involving 325 physicians from community primary care facilities who enrolled 2,775 patients with AH and/or CHD ≥ 55 years of age. However, only 73 CHD patients (2.6%) were not hypertensive, therefore, these patients were excluded from the analyses. As a result, current paper is based on the comparison of AH patients (n=1687) vs. participants with both CHD and AH (AH+CHD; n=1015). We collected patients' socio-demographic data, clinical features, traditional and psychosocial RFs, such as anxiety and depression, stress level, type D personality, and treatment adherence.

RESULTS

The study population (women, 72%; mean age ± SD, 66.7 ± 7.9 years) had a significant prevalence of psychosocial RF. 43.8% of AH patients and 45.5 % of participants with AH+CHD rated their income as low or very low, a low educational level was reported in 21.6% and 26.0%, respectively (both p=n/s). Social isolation was uncommon, but it occurred more frequently in AH+CHD patients (8.3% vs. 5.2%, p&lt;0.01). Nevertheless, 40.2% of AH patients and 39.4% of AH+CHD were not married, and 26.0% and 24.6% were living alone, respectively. Elevated stress level was prevalent in more than 60% of patients (67.9% in AH patients vs. 67.7% in AH+CHD patents, p=n/s), and 63.3% and 64.8% of patients, respectively, reported stressful life events in the preceding year (p=n/s). Type D personality was more common in AH+CHD patients (41.2% vs. 35.8%; p&lt;0.01). Clinically significant anxiety symptoms were prevalent in 24.7% ofAH patients and in 27.4% ofAH+CHD patients (p=n/s), and clinically significant depressive symptoms were identified in 13.9% and 20.9%, respectively (p&lt;0.001).

CONCLUSION

We obtained current data on psychosocial RFs prevalence in outpatients with the most common CVDs in primary care setting. At the moment, their prevalence remains significant.

Toward a personalized therapy for panic disorder: preliminary considerations from a work in progress

Although several treatment options for panic disorder (PD) are available, the best intervention for each individual patient remains uncertain and the use of a more personalized therapeutic approach in PD is required. In clinical practice, clinicians combine general scientific information and personal experience in the decision-making process to choose a tailored treatment for each patient. In this sense, clinicians already use a somehow personalized medicine strategy. However, the influence of their interpretative personal models may lead to bias related to personal convictions, not sufficiently grounded on scientific evidence. Hence, an effort to give some advice based on the science of personalized medicine could have positive effects on clinicians' decisions. Based on a narrative review of meta-analyses, systematic reviews, and experimental studies, we proposed a first-step attempt of evidence-based personalized therapy for PD. We focused on some phenomenological profiles, encompassing symptoms during/outside panic attacks, related patterns of physiological functions, and some aspects of physical health, which might be worth considering when developing treatment plans for patients with PD. We considered respiratory, cardiac, vestibular, and derealization/depersonalization profiles, with related implications for treatment. Given the extensiveness of the topic, we considered only medications and some somatic interventions. Our proposal should be considered neither exhaustive nor conclusive, as it is meant as a very preliminary step toward a future, robust evidence-based personalized therapy for PD. Clearly much more work is needed to achieve this goal, and recent technological advances, such as wearable devices, big data platforms, and the application of machine learning techniques, may help obtain reliable findings. We believe that combining the efforts of different research groups in this work in progress can lead to largely shared conclusions in the near future.

The intriguing relationship between coronary heart disease and mental disorders

Coronary heart disease (CHD) and mental illness are among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Decades of research has revealed several, and sometimes surprising, links between CHD and mental illness, and has even suggested that both may actually cause one another. However, the precise nature of these links has not yet been clearly established. The goal of this paper, therefore, is to comprehensively review and discuss the state-of-the-art nature of the epidemiological and pathophysiological aspects of the bidirectional links between mental illness and CHD. This review demonstrates that there exists a large body of epidemiological prospective data showing that people with severe mental illness, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder, as a group, have an increased risk of developing CHD, compared with controls [adjusted hazard ratio (adjHR)=1.54; 95% CI: 1.30-1.82, P<0.0001]. Anxiety symptoms or disorders (Relative Risk (RR)=1.41, 95% CI: 1.23-1.61, P<0.0001), as well as experiences of persistent or intense stress or posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (adjHR=1.27, 95% CI: 1.08-1.49), although to a lesser degree, may also be independently associated with an increased risk of developing CHD. On the other hand, research also indicates that these symptoms/mental diseases are common in patients with CHD and may be associated with a substantial increase in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Finally, mental diseases and CHD appear to have a shared etiology, including biological, behavioral, psychological, and genetic mechanisms.

Is panic disorder a disorder of physical fitness? A heuristic proposal

Currently, panic disorder (PD) is considered a mental disorder based on the assumptions that panic attacks (PAs) are “false alarms” that arise from abnormally sensitive defense systems in the central nervous system and that PD is treated with therapies specifically acting on anxiety or fear mechanisms. This article aims to propose an alternative perspective based on the results of some experimental studies. Our heuristic proposal suggests not only that PD may be a mental disorder but also that patients with PD have real abnormal body functioning, mainly involving cardiorespiratory and balance systems, leading to a decline in global physical fitness. PAs, as well as physical symptoms or discomfort in some environmental situations, may be “real alarms” signaling that the adaptability resources of an organism are insufficient to respond appropriately to some internal or external changes, thus representing the transient conscious awareness of an imbalance in body functioning. The antipanic properties of several modern treatments for PD may include their beneficial effects on body functions. Although anxiety or fear mechanisms are evidently involved in PD, we hypothesize that a reduction of physical fitness is the “primum movens” of PD, while anxiety or fear is induced and sustained by repeated signals of impaired body functioning. We propose considering panic in a broader perspective that offers a central role to the body and to contemplate the possible role of somatic treatments in PD.

Panic disorder and cardiovascular diseases: an overview

The association between panic disorder (PD) and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) has been extensively studied in recent years and, although some studies have shown anxiety disorders co-existing or increasing the risk of heart disease, no causal hypothesis has been well established. Thus, a critical review was performed of the studies that evaluated the association between PD and cardiovascular diseases; synthesizing the evidence on the mechanisms mediators that theoretically would be the responsible for the causal pathway between PD and CVD, specifically. This overview shows epidemiological studies, and discusses biological mechanisms that could link PD to CVD, such as pleiotropy, heart rate variability, unhealthy lifestyle, atherosclerosis, mental stress, and myocardial perfusion defects. This study tried to provide a comprehensive narrative synthesis of previously published information regarding PD and CVD and open new possibilities of clinical management and pathophysiological understanding. Some epidemiological studies have indicated that PD could be a risk factor for CVD, raising morbidity and mortality in PD, suggesting an association between them. These studies argue that PD pathophysiology could cause or potentiate CVD. However, there is no evidence in favour of a causal relationship between PD and CVD. Therefore, PD patients with suspicions of cardiovascular symptoms need redoubled attention.

Morbid Anxiety: Identification and Treatment

Due to their prevalence, chronicity, and poorly understood pathophysiology, anxiety disorders remain an important public health problem. Despite clear diagnostic guidelines and the availability of excellent evidence-based treatments, most anxiety patients remain underrecognized and inadequately treated. This clinical synthesis highlights changes to anxiety disorder diagnosis that became effective with DSM-5. The article also provides some clinical perspective on clarifying differential diagnostic problems and building an alliance with the anxious patient. The quality and strength of the evidence base for current anxiolytic medications options (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, benzodiazepines, and other agents), antianxiety psychotherapies (cognitive-behavioral therapy and brief dynamic therapies), and combination treatments are discussed. A brief update on newer treatment strategies, such as cognitive enhancement, complementary therapies, and neuromodulation, is included. Future directions for anxiety nosology and treatment are summarized, including the National Institute of Mental Health Research Domain Criteria initiative and the promising role of personalized medicine.

Panic Disorder Comorbidity with Medical Conditions and Treatment Implications

Panic disorder (PD) is unique among the anxiety disorders in that panic symptoms are primarily of a physical nature. Consequently, comorbidity with medical illness is significant. This review examines the association between PD and medical illness. We identify shared pathophysiological and psychological correlates and illustrate how physiological activation in panic sufferers underlies their symptom experience in the context of the fight-or-flight response and beyond a situation-specific response pattern. We then review evidence for bodily symptom perception accuracy in PD. Prevalence of comorbidity for PD and medical illness is presented, with a focus on respiratory and cardiovascular illness, irritable bowel syndrome, and diabetes, followed by an outline for potential pathways of a bidirectional association. We conclude by illustrating commonalities in mediating mechanistic pathways and moderating risk factors across medical illnesses, and we discuss implications for diagnosis and treatment of both types of conditions.

Physical activity and anxiety: A perspective from the World Health Survey

BACKGROUND

Despite the known benefits of physical activity (PA) among people with anxiety, little is known about PA levels in people with anxiety at the population level. This study explored the global prevalence of anxiety and its association with PA.

METHODS

Cross-sectional, community-based data from the World Health Survey was analyzed. Prevalence of anxiety was estimated for 237,964 individuals (47 countries). PA was categorized as low, moderate, and high based on the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (short form). The association between PA and anxiety was assessed by multivariable logistic regression.

RESULTS

The overall global prevalence of anxiety was 11.4% (47 countries). Across 38 countries with available data on PA, 62.5%, 20.2%, and 17.3% of the sample engaged in high, moderate, and low levels of PA respectively. The prevalence of low physical activity in those with and without anxiety was 22.9% vs. 16.6% (p<0.001) (38 countries, n=184,920). In the pooled model adjusted for socio-demographics, depression, and country, individuals engaging in low PA (vs. high PA) had 1.32 (95% CI=1.17-1.47) times higher odds for anxiety than those with high PA. Female sex, older age, lower education and wealth, and depression were also associated with low PA. At the individual country level, there was a significant positive association between low PA and anxiety in 17 of the 38 countries.

CONCLUSION

Low PA levels are associated with increased prevalence of anxiety. There is a need for longitudinal research to establish the directionality of the relationships observed.

The Neurobiology of Panic: A Chronic Stress Disorder

Panic disorder is an often chronic and impairing human anxiety syndrome, which frequently results in serious psychiatric and medical comorbidities. Although, to date, there have been many advances in the diagnosis and treatment of panic disorder, its pathophysiology still remains to be elucidated. In this review, recent evidence for a neurobiological basis of panic disorder is reviewed with particular attention to risk factors such as genetic vulnerability, chronic stress, and temperament. In addition, neuroimaging data are reviewed which provides support for the concept of panic disorder as a fear network disorder. The potential impact of the National Institute of Mental Health Research Domain Criteria constructs of acute and chronic threats responses and their implications for the neurobiology of panic disorder are also discussed.