Anxiety disorders in patients with noncardiac chest pain: association with health-related quality of life and chest pain severity

Summary & key facts

Researchers followed about 900 people who went to the emergency room with chest pain that was not caused by heart disease. They checked who also had panic disorder or generalized anxiety disorder, measured chest pain and quality of life soon after the visit and again six months later. People who had panic disorder or generalized anxiety reported more severe chest pain and worse quality of life than those without these anxiety disorders. Panic disorder was linked mostly to worse physical health, while generalized anxiety was linked mostly to worse mental health.

Key facts:

• The study followed 915 people who visited emergency departments for chest pain that was not caused by heart problems.
• Researchers used a standard diagnostic interview to find who had panic disorder or generalized anxiety disorder, and a 12-item questionnaire to measure physical and mental quality of life.
• On average, reported chest pain became milder between the first interview and six months later, but people with panic disorder or generalized anxiety still reported more pain at both times than people without those disorders.
• There was no clear difference in chest pain severity between people with panic disorder and people with generalized anxiety disorder.
• The physical part of quality of life improved a little over time, but people with panic disorder (with or without generalized anxiety) had noticeably worse physical quality of life than the others.
• The mental part of quality of life was especially lower in people with generalized anxiety disorder, and this difference was stronger at six months.
• The study shows links between anxiety disorders and worse chest pain and quality of life, but it does not prove that the anxiety disorders caused the worse outcomes.

Abstract

Comorbid PD or GAD are prospectively associated with increased chest pain severity and lowered health-related quality of life in patients with NCCP. PD appears to be mainly associated with the physical component of quality of life, while GAD has a greater association with the mental component. Knowledge of these differences could help in the management of patients with NCCP and these comorbidities.

Topics

Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes Cardiovascular Syncope and Autonomic Disorders Respiratory and Cough-Related Research

Categories

Experimental and Cognitive Psychology Psychology Social Sciences

Tags

Anxiety Anxiety disorder Chest pain Comorbidity Disease EQ-5D Generalized anxiety disorder Health related quality of life Internal medicine Medicine Mental health Nursing Panic Panic disorder Physical therapy Psychiatry Quality of life (healthcare)

Conditions & symptoms

Anxiety Panic disorder and phobias Anxiety or worry Chronic pain Panic