Anxiety Disorder

Question 1

What is an excessive and persistent worrying that is hard to control, causes significant distress, and occurs more days than not for at least six months?

Answer 1

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

Question 2

How long do symptoms have to be present for a generalized anxiety disorder diagnosis?

Answer 2

6 months

Question 3

What are the clinical manifestations that may be present in a patient with Generalized Anxiety Disorder?

Answer 3

1) Excessive Worry
2) Hyperarousal (very on edge) and muscle tension
3) Poor sleep
4) Fatigue
5) Difficulty relaxing
6) Headaches
7) Pain in the neck, shoulder, and back

Question 4

What form is used to screen for Generalized Anxiety Disorder?

Answer 4

GAD 7

Question 5

What are the treatments for Generalized Anxiety Disorder?

Answer 5

CBT, and Medications

Question 6

What is the first line treatment for Generalized Anxiety Disorder?

Answer 6

SSRIs and SNRIs

Question 7

What is the diagnosis for people who experience multiple panic attacks?

Answer 7

Panic Disorder

Question 8

What is a spontaneous, discrete episode of intense fear that begins abruptly and lasts for
several minutes to an hour?

Answer 8

Panic Attack

Question 9

What is the DSM-5 (Diagnostic Criteria) for Panic Disorder?

Answer 9

An abrupt surge of intense fear or intense discomfort with at least FOUR of the following symptoms:

1) Palpitations
2) Sweating
3) Trembling or shaking
4) Shortness of Breath
5) Feeling of choking
6) Chest pain
7) Nausea
8) Dizzy
9) Chills or Heat sensations
10) Parasthesia
11) Derealization (feelings of unreality) or depersonalization (feeling detached from oneself)
12) Fear of losing control (going crazy)
13) Fear of dying

Question 10

What is Agoraphobia?

Answer 10

Fear of going out or putting oneself in situations that would cause panic/anxiety

Question 11

What medications are used to break a panic attack?

Answer 11

Benzodiazepines (Diazepam)

Antihistamines like Hydroxyzine (Atarax)

Question 12

What is used for long term treatment of panic disorder in order to Reduce frequency of panic attacks, Severity of anxiety, Degree of phobic avoidance?

Answer 12

SSRIs and SNRIs

Question 13

Does a patient get diagnosed with Panic Disorder for having a single panic attack?

Answer 13

No, They need to have multiple, recurrent panic attacks.

That’s why it is important to ask if they have ever felt like this before

Question 14

How many symptoms from the DSM-5 Diagnostic criteria are required for a Panic Attacks?

Answer 14

4 or more

Question 15

What are conditions that should be ruled out before determining somebody is having a panic attack?

Answer 15

1) Angina
2) Arrythmias
3) COPD
4) Epilepsy (temporal lobe)
5) Pulmonary embolus
6) Asthma
7) Hyperthyroidism
8) Pheochromocytoma
9) Substance abuse