Anxiety Disorders Flashcards
Define neurosis
Neurosis is a collective term for psychiatric disorders characterised by distress, that are non-organic, have discrete onset and where delusions & hallucinations are absent.
*Term neuroses used to refer to anxiety disorders
Anxiety is an unpleasant emotionastte involving subjective fear and somatic symptoms; every human experiences anxiety. When does it become illness?
Anxieties are either:
- Excessive
- Inappropriate
Discuss the Yerke’s-Dodson law and explain how it helps us to understand anxiety disorders
- Increase in anxiety/arousal improves performance up to a certain point
- After this point the anxiety/arousal becomes too great and performance declines
- Pt’s with anxiety disorders will therefore have decreased performance hence it can have a huge impact on life
Put the following anxiety disorders into order of prevalence:
- Agoraphobia
- Specific phobia
- OCD
- Social phobia
- Panic disorder
- Generalised anxiety disorder
*
- Specific phobia
- Social phobia
- Generalised anxiety disorder
- Agoraphobia
- Panic disorder
- OCD
What is the prevalence of anxiety disorders?
14%
State some symptoms of anxiety disorders, consider:
- Psychological
- Cardiovascular
- Respiratory
- Gastrointestinal
- Genitourinary
- Neuormuscular
ICD-10 classifies psychiatry disorders into 10 categories; one of these categories is neurotic, stress-related and somatoform disorders. State 4 sub-categories within this
Depressive symptoms are very common in pts with neuroses; true or false?
True (hence you should always screen for depression in pts presentng with anxiety)
Discuss how we can categoriese neuroses based on nature of anxiety and the circumstances in which anxiety arises
Compare generalised/free-floating/continuous anxiety with paroxysmal/episodic anxiety
Generalised
- Present most of time
- Not associated with specific objects or situations
- Excessive & inappropriate worry about normal life events
- Longer duration (months, years)
Paroxysmal/episodic
- Discrete episodes
- Abrupt onset
- Severe anxiety with strong autonomic response
- In respnse to specific threats
- Short lived ( <1 hour)
State some conditions that are associated with anxiety; ensure you include examples of medical, substance-related and psychiatric conditions
*NOTE: any chronic condition may cause anxiety & depression
Define generalised anxiety disorder (GAD)
Syndrome of ongoing, uncontrollable, widespread worry about many events or thoughts that the pt recognises as excessive and inappropriate.
For what duration must symptoms be present for a pt to have GAD?
Most days for at least 6 months
What is the prevalence of GAD?
Is it equally common in both sexes?
What is common age of presentation for GAD?
- 2-4%
- F:M is 2:1
- ~30 years
The aetiology of GAD can be split into biological and environmental causes; state 2 biological & 2 environmental causes
State some predisposing, precipitating & perpetuating factors for GAD
State some clinical features of GAD, think about symptoms relating to:
- Cardiovascular
- Respiratory
- GI
- Brain & mind
- General symptoms
- Symptoms due to tension
- Non-specifi symptoms
WATCHERS is a mneumonic to help remember clinical features of GAD; state this mneumonic
- Worry
- Autonomic hyperactivity (sweating, increased HR, increased pupil size)
- Tension in muscles/tremor
- Concentration difficulties/chronic aches
- Headache/hyperventilation
- Energy loss
- Restlessness
- Startled easily/sleep disturbance
What is the typical pattern of sleep disturbance in GAD?
Difficulty getting to sleep with intermittent wakening & nightmares
Discuss the ICD-10 criteria for GAD
A. A period of at least 6 months with prominent tension, worry & feelings of apprehension about everyday events & problems
B. At least 4 of the following symptoms (see image) with at least one symptom of autonomic arousal (palpitations, sweating, shaking/tremor, dry mouth)
Example questions to ask in GAD history
Discuss potential findings on MSE for pt with GAD
What investigations might you do for a pt with supsected anxiety?
Structure your answer into bedside, bloods & imaging/other highlighting the reason for each investigation
Bedside
- ECG: if had palpitations to check for any arrhythmias
- Plasma glucose: hypoglycaemia can cause autonomic symptoms
- Questionnaires: e.g. GAD-7, Beck’s anxiety inventory
Bloods
- FBC: anaemia can cause tachycardia & hence palpitations aswell as lack of energy
- TFTs: hyperthryoidism can cause sympathetic nervous system symptoms e.g. sweating, tachycardia
State some differential diagnoses for a pt presenting with anxiety symptoms
*remember, think of other psychiatric conditions & organic causes
Management of GAD is based on biopsychosocial model; discuss the biological management of GAD
- First line= SSRI (sertraline recommended as it has anxiolytic effects)
- Second line= SNRI (e.g. venlafaxine, duloxetine)
- Third line: pregabalin
- Benzodiazepines ONLY in crises as short term measure
Medicaiton should be continued for at least a year to see if it improves symmptoms.
Management of GAD is based on biopsychosocial model; discuss the psychological management of GAD
- Low intensity psychological intervention
- Psychoeducation groups
- Individual self-help courses
- High intensity psychological interventions
- CBT
- Applied relaxation
Management of GAD is based on biopsychosocial model; discuss the social management of GAD
- Support groups
- Encourage exercise
- Sleep hygiene
- Encourage them to engage in self-help exercises (e.g. write down worrying thoughts)
We have already discussed the biopsychosocial management of GAD; however, NICE recommend a stepped care model. Discuss this model
*NOTE: if someone has marked functional impairment go to step 3
If a pt has both anxiety and a comorbid depressive disorder or other anxiety disorder which should you treat first?
Most severe first, as this is more likely to improve overall functioning.
When should you, in a GP setting, refer a pt with GAD to psychiatrist?
- Severe anxiety and marked functional impairment
- GAD that has not improved following step 3 interventions
- Risk of self-harm, suicide, self-neglect or significant comorbidiy e.g. substance misuse, personality disorder, complex physical health problem
Discuss the prognosis of GAD
- Chronic condition that may fluctate in intensity
- Full recovery (all symptoms gone) occurs in some but not all people- still risk of relapse
- GAD with comorbid depression is known to have the worst prognosis, with more associated symptoms and disability than depression or anxiety disorders alone
Define a phobia
Intense, irraitonal fear of an object, situation, place or person that is recognised as excessive or unreasonable
Define agoraphobia
Fear of public spaces or fear of entering a public space from which immediate escape would be difficult in the evnet of a panic attack
Define social phobia (social anxiety disorder)
Fear of social situations which may lead to humilation, criticism or embarrassment
Define specific (isolated) phobia
Fear restricted to a specific object or siutation (excluding agorophobia and social phobia)
State some common causes of specific phobias (where possible include the prefix given)
For agorphobia, discuss:
- Prevalence
- Age of onset
- Male to female ratio
- 0.4%
- Early adulthood (25-30yrs)
- M:F is 1:2
For social phobia, discuss:
- Prevalence
- Age of onset
- Male to female ratio
- 1.2%
- Adolescence
- M:F is 1:1
For specific phobia, discuss:
- Prevalence
- Age of onset
- Male to female ratio
- 3.5%
- Childhood but can develop later in life
- M:F is 1:1
Discuss the proposed aetiology for:
- Agoraphobia
- Social phobia (social anxiety disorder)
- Specific phobia