Am J Psychiatry 1989; 146:1201-1203
Copyright © 1989 by American Psychiatric Association
Prevalence, onset, and clinical recognition of panic states in hospitalized male alcoholics
DJ Johannessen, DS Cowley, RD Walker, CF Jensen and L Parker
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle 98195.
Alcoholism has been associated with a high prevalence of anxiety and phobic
disorders. The authors ascertained the current prevalence of panic disorder
and the lifetime prevalence of infrequent panic attacks in 154 male
alcoholics in an inpatient alcohol treatment program. Thirteen percent (N =
20) gave a lifetime history of panic attacks and 45% (N = 9) of these had
current panic disorder. Panic attacks preceded or coincided with the onset
of problem drinking in 50% (N = 9) of the 18 patients with both diagnoses.
Only two patients with histories of panic had been previously diagnosed,
and none had been treated. Clinical implications of these findings are
discussed.
