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Objective: Palpitations, are one of the most common symptoms that prompt patients to consult general practitioners, cardiologists or emergency services. Although palpitation can be observed as a common symptom among cardiac diseases and psychiatric disorders, the previous studies have shown that the palpitation is seen often among psychiatric disorders (%25-50), particularly panic disorder. In this study, we aim to compare anxiety sensitivity, perception of bodily sensations, anxiety and depression levels among cardiology outpatient clinic patients with complaints of palpitations, who were applied EPS and were not applied EPS and healthy controls.
Method: According to the cardiac examination and test results, the patients who had cardiac arrhythmia findings or considered as to suffer arrhythmia and/or requiring definitive diagnoses made up the EPS applied group (n=37) and patients who had no cardiac arrhythmia comprised the EPS non-applied group (n=38). Any healthy individuals with no history of cardiac disease or psychiatric disorder was accounted for the control group (n=32). All the participants were evaluated by The Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Psychiatric Disorders. Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale and Global Assessment of Functioning scale were performed by the investigator. Panic Agoraphobia Scale, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, State Trait Anxiety Inventory, Somatosensory Amplification Scale, Anxiety Sensitivity Index-3 and, Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale were performed by all participants.
Results: In this study, 62.2% of the patients, who were applied EPS were found to have a cardiac arrhythmia, and 85.7% of these patients’ psychiatric evaluation was normal. 62.2% of the patients, who were applied EPS had a comorbid psychiatric disorder and this ratio was 76.3% in the patients, who were not applied EPS. Panic disorder was observed in 51.3% of the patients, who were applied EPS and 54.7% of the patients, who were not applied EPS. Anxiety sensitivity, perception of bodily sensations, anxiety and depression levels were higher on both who had no arrhythmia with EPS and who were not applied EPS than the patients who had arrhythmia with EPS. There was not significant difference in terms of depressive symptoms.
Conclusion: In this study, the relationship between cardiac diseases and psychiatric disorders is also shown clinically. The requirement for detailed assessment of this common complaint in patients is emphasized with this study for both the patient and the clinician.