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The exact cause of panic disorder has not been determined. However, stress and various biochemical factors are believed to contribute to the condition. It is also believed that heredity plays a role, as panic attacks are more likely to affect people with a family history of such attacks. A close family member with a history of the disorder increases a person’s risk of experiencing symptoms by up to eight times. The risk increases to 20 times in situations where panic attacks first appear before age 20. 

Some evidence suggests that biological factors may be at least partially responsible for panic disorder. These include possible abnormalities in a person’s autonomic nervous system, increased arousal and sudden chemical imbalances.