panic disorder, a summary
Panic Disorder
Definition
Panic Disorder is an anxiety disorder characterized by unexpected and repeated episodes of intense fear accompanied by physical symptoms that may include chest pain, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness, or abdominal distress. These episodes occur “out of the blue,” not in conjunction with a known fear or stressor.
Additional information about panic disorder can be found on the NIMH Health Topics page on Anxiety Disorders.
Prevalence of Panic Disorder Among Adults
Based on diagnostic interview data from National Comorbidity Survey Replication (NCS-R), Figure 1 shows past year prevalence of panic disorder among U.S. adults aged 18 or older.1
An estimated 2.7% of U.S. adults had panic disorder in the past year.
Past year prevalence of panic disorder among adults was higher for females (3.8%) than for males (1.6%).
An estimated 4.7% of U.S. adults experience panic disorder at some time in their lives.2
Data from National Comorbidity Survey Replication (NCS-R)
Panic Disorder with Impairment Among Adults
Of adults with panic disorder in the past year, degree of impairment ranged from mild to serious, as shown in Figure 2. Impairment was determined by scores on the Sheehan Disability Scale.3
Impairment was distributed evenly among adults with panic disorder. An estimated 44.8% had serious impairment, 29.5% had moderate impairment, and 25.7% had mild impairment.
Prevalence of Panic Disorder Among Adolescents
Based on diagnostic interview data from National Comorbidity Survey Adolescent Supplement (NCS-A), Figure 3 shows lifetime prevalence of panic disorder among U.S. adolescents aged 13-18.4
An estimated 2.3% of adolescents had panic disorder, and 2.3% had severe impairment. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) criteria were used to determine impairment.
The prevalence of panic disorder among adolescents was higher for females (2.6%) than for males (2.0%).
Data Sources
References
Harvard Medical School, 2007. National Comorbidity Survey (NCS). (2017, August 21). Retrieved from https://www.hcp.med.harvard.edu/ncs/index.php . Data Table 2: 12-month prevalence DSM-IV/WMH-CIDI disorders by sex and cohort.
Harvard Medical School, 2007. National Comorbidity Survey (NCS). (2017, August 21). Retrieved from https://www.hcp.med.harvard.edu/ncs/index.php . Data Table 1: Lifetime prevalence DSM-IV/WMH-CIDI disorders by sex and cohort .
Kessler RC, Chiu WT, Demler O, Merikangas KR, Walters EE. Prevalence, severity, and comorbidity of 12-month DSM-IV disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2005 Jun;62(6):617-27. PMID: 15939839
Merikangas KR, He JP, Burstein M, Swanson SA, Avenevoli S, Cui L, Benjet C, Georgiades K, Swendsen J. Lifetime prevalence of mental disorders in U.S. adolescents: results from the National Comorbidity Survey Replication–Adolescent Supplement (NCS-A). J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2010 Oct;49(10):980-9. PMID: 20855043
Statistical Methods and Measurement Caveats
National Comorbidity Survey Replication (NCS-R)
Diagnostic Assessment and Population:
The NCS-R is a nationally representative, face-to-face, household survey conducted between February 2001 and April 2003 with a response rate of 70.9%. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) mental disorders were assessed using a modified version of the fully structured World Health Organization Composite International Diagnostic Interview (WMH-CIDI), a fully structured lay-administered diagnostic interview that generates both International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, and DSM-IV diagnoses. The DSM-IV criteria were used here. The Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS) assessed disability in work role performance, household maintenance, social life, and intimate relationships on a 0–10 scale. Participants for the main interview totaled 9,282 English-speaking, non-institutionalized, civilian respondents. Any anxiety disorder was assessed in a subsample of 5,692 adults. The NCS-R was led by Harvard University.
Unlike the DSM-IV criteria used in the NCS-R and NCS-A, the current DSM-5 no longer places post-traumatic stress disorder or obsessive compulsive disorder in the anxiety disorder category. They are listed in new DSM5 categories.