Panic Disorder: Did You Know? – Wayne C. Jones MD

In the U.S., 1.6% of adults (3 million) will have Panic Disorder in their lifetime.
First degree relatives of those with PD are 17x more likely to have PD than the general population
30% of people with PD abuse alcohol
Twice as many woman as men have PD
Most panic attacks start in the mid 20’s
Proper treatment reduces or prevents panic attacks in 70-90% of cases
29-44% of those with PD also have Irritable Bowel Syndrome
43% of ER patients with chest pain actually have PD
Panic patients may see an average of 10 doctors before a correct diagnosis is made
50% of those with PD will have clinical depression during their lifetime.
PD is abnormal activation of the part of the brain called the amygdala