Panic disorder and heart disease

A study of 405,000 people by researchers from University College London looked into the links between panic disorder and heart problems. The study found that people who were younger than 50 when first diagnosed with panic disorder were 38% more likely to have a heart attack and 44% more likely to develop heart disease than those in the general population. People who were over 50 when first diagnosed had an 11% greater risk. However, people with panic disorder had a lower risk of dying from heart disease than the rest of the population. The researchers who wrote the study weren't sure whether the symptoms of heart disease were being misdiagnosed as panic disorder or whether panic disorder actually led to an increased risk of developing heart problems.

You can find out more about this research at

http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.php?type=news&id=115361&cn=1