Anxiety Disorders: The Daily PANCE Blueprint

Home Anxiety Disorders: The Daily PANCE Blueprint

Psychiatry and Behavioral Health: The Daily PANCE Blueprint

QuestionHERA 28-year-old woman presents with episodes of sudden-onset heart palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness, and fear of losing control occurring several times per week over the past month. Episodes peak within 10 minutes without an apparent trigger. She denies any substance use. Which of the following is most consistent with the likely diagnosis?

A. Generalized anxiety disorder
B. Social anxiety disorder
C. Obsessive compulsive disorder
D. Panic disorder
E. Specific phobia

Answer and topic summary

The answer is D) Panic disorder

This patient’s episodes of abrupt onset fear/anxiety with autonomic symptoms that peak rapidly are most consistent with panic attacks, a key feature of panic disorder. Generalized anxiety causes chronic, excessive worry but not sudden panic episodes. Social anxiety and specific phobias cause anxiety triggered by specific situations. OCD manifests as intrusive thoughts and repetitive behaviors, not panic attacks. Therefore, this clinical presentation of recurrent, unexpected panic attacks is most consistent with panic disorder.

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Smarty PANCE Content Blueprint Review:

Covered under ⇒  PANCE Blueprint Psychiatry ⇒ Anxiety Disorders ⇒ Panic disorder

Also covered as part of the Psychiatry EOR, Family Medicine EOR, and Emergency Medicine EOR topic lists

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