Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia

Panic disorder is characterized by sudden, unexpected attacks of intense fear and anticipatory anxiety. Panic attacks include symptoms such as palpitations, dyspnoea, dizziness, trembling, gastrointestinal discomfort and fear of dying. Therefore, patients with panic disorder often assume physical illnesses may underly their symptoms. They frequently consult psychiatrists and psychologists, but also general practitioners, cardiologists, neurologists and other medical specialists. Part of the Oxford Psychiatry Library series, this pocketbook will serve as a concise and practical manual for the management of patients with panic disorder in clinical practice. It provides a user-friendly guide to the diagnosis, etiology, and treatment of patients with panic disorder and agoraphobia.