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Although panic attacks are frightening, they do not typically cause physical harm, and many people have just one or two attacks during their lifetime. However, patients should notify their physician when panic attacks occur frequently or interfere with daily functioning, because this may indicate the presence of panic disorder.

Before diagnosing panic disorder, a physician will perform a complete physical examination and compile a thorough medical history. The physician will also want to rule out other medical conditions that could be causing symptoms, such as a heart problem or an overactive thyroid gland.

Panic disorder is diagnosed when the patient has recurrent, unexpected panic attacks, and experiences one or more of the following for a month or longer:

• Ongoing concern about future attacks
  
  
• Concerns about the significance of future attacks and their potential consequences
  
  
• Change in behavior to reduce the likelihood of future attacks

In addition, the patient’s attacks cannot be caused by a general medical condition or the use of substances, and cannot better be explained by another anxiety disorder or mental illness.

If the patient also has signs of agoraphobia, a diagnosis of panic disorder with agoraphobia is likely.