Panic Disorder Linked to Higher Risk of Hea...(isease than those in the general populat...),Health

"This might be because the higher risk of coronary heart disease and heart attacks occurred amongst younger people who have fewer heart-related deaths generally, or it might be because people with panic disorders go to their doctors earlier and more frequently, and, therefore, are more likely to have their heart disease identified and treated early, thus reducing the likelihood of dying from it," Walters said.

She and her colleagues also found that women younger than 40 with panic disorder/attacks had higher increases in incidence of CHD and heart attack than men. But this finding needs to be viewed with caution because the actual number of events was low and could be due to chance, Walters said.

More information

The Anxiety Disorders Association of America has more about panic disorder.

-- Robert Preidt

SOURCES: European Society of Cardiology, news release, Dec. 10, 2008