Question

A 25-year-old female reported symptoms of anxiety, palpitations, sweating, breathlessness,chest pain, and a feeling of impending doom. She recalls having experienced 5-6 similarepisodes in the past 6 months, each episode lasting for about 20-30 minutes. What is the likely diagnosis?

• A. Depression
• B. Panic disorder
• C. Generalized anxiety disorder
• D. Phobia

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

The given case describes a 25-year-old female experiencing symptoms including anxiety, palpitations, sweating, breathlessness, chest pain, and a feeling of impending doom. These episodes have occurred 5-6 times over the past 6 months, each lasting about 20-30 minutes.

To determine the most likely diagnosis, we need to compare the symptoms and their patterns with common psychiatric disorders:

• Depression: Typically involves persistent feelings of sadness and loss of interest, rather than acute episodes of intense physical symptoms.
• Panic disorder: Characterized by recurrent, unexpected panic attacks with intense anxiety, palpitations, sweating, breathlessness, and other physical symptoms, usually lasting minutes. The fear of future attacks is common.
• Generalized anxiety disorder: Involves chronic anxiety, worry, and tension without the acute episodes of intense symptoms like panic attacks.
• Phobia: Involves intense fear related to a specific object or situation, not random episodes as described.

The symptoms and episodic nature of the described case best match Panic disorder, which involves sudden and intense fear with significant physical symptoms, as well as recurrent unexpected episodes.