MedicalCRITERIA.com

A- Both (1) and (2):

(1) recurrent unexpected Panic Attacks

(2) at least one of the attacks has been followed by 1 month (or more) of one (or more) of the following:

1. persistent concern about having additional attacks
2. worry about the implications of the attack or its consequences (e.g., losing control, having a heart attack, “going crazy”)
3. a significant change in behavior related to the attacks

B- Presence or Absence of Agoraphobia
C- The Panic Attacks are not due to the direct physiological effects of a substance (e.g., a drug of abuse, a medication) or a general medical condition (e.g., hyperthyroidism).
D- The Panic Attacks not better accounted for by another mental disorder, such as Social Phobia (e.g., occurring on exposure to feared social situations), Specific Phobia (e.g., on exposure to a specific phobic situation), Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (e.g., on exposure to dirt in someone with an obsession about contamination), Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (e.g., in response to stimuli associated with a severe stressor), or Separation Anxiety Disorder (e.g., in response to being away from home or close relatives).

References:

1. DSM-IV. American Psychiatric Association. (1994). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.). Washington, DC.

This material was taken from the DSM-IV. It is intended for educational purposes only.

Created: Mar 8, 2005