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High altitudes, anxiety, and panic attacks: is there a relationship?

2002; Wiley; Volume: 16; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1002/da.10059

1520-6394

Walton T. Roth, Annette Gomolla, Alicia E. Meuret, Georg W. Alpers, Eva M. Handke, Frank H. Wilhelm,

Psychosomatic Disorders and Their Treatments

Depression and AnxietyVolume 16, Issue 2 p. 51-58 Theoretical Review High altitudes, anxiety, and panic attacks: is there a relationship? Walton T. Roth M.D., Corresponding Author Walton T. Roth M.D. [email protected] Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, California, and Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Palo Alto, CaliforniaVA Health Care System (116F-PAD), 3801 Miranda Ave., Palo Alto, CA 94304Search for more papers by this authorAnnette Gomolla Dipl.Psych., Annette Gomolla Dipl.Psych. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, California, and Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Palo Alto, CaliforniaSearch for more papers by this authorAlicia E. Meuret Dipl.Psych., Alicia E. Meuret Dipl.Psych. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, California, and Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Palo Alto, CaliforniaSearch for more papers by this authorGeorg W. Alpers Ph.D., Georg W. Alpers Ph.D. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, California, and Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Palo Alto, CaliforniaSearch for more papers by this authorEva M. Handke Dipl.Psych., Eva M. Handke Dipl.Psych. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, California, and Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Palo Alto, CaliforniaSearch for more papers by this authorFrank H. Wilhelm Ph.D., Frank H. Wilhelm Ph.D. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, California, and Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Palo Alto, CaliforniaSearch for more papers by this author Walton T. Roth M.D., Corresponding Author Walton T. Roth M.D. [email protected] Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, California, and Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Palo Alto, CaliforniaVA Health Care System (116F-PAD), 3801 Miranda Ave., Palo Alto, CA 94304Search for more papers by this authorAnnette Gomolla Dipl.Psych., Annette Gomolla Dipl.Psych. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, California, and Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Palo Alto, CaliforniaSearch for more papers by this authorAlicia E. Meuret Dipl.Psych., Alicia E. Meuret Dipl.Psych. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, California, and Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Palo Alto, CaliforniaSearch for more papers by this authorGeorg W. Alpers Ph.D., Georg W. Alpers Ph.D. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, California, and Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Palo Alto, CaliforniaSearch for more papers by this authorEva M. Handke Dipl.Psych., Eva M. Handke Dipl.Psych. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, California, and Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Palo Alto, CaliforniaSearch for more papers by this authorFrank H. Wilhelm Ph.D., Frank H. Wilhelm Ph.D. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, California, and Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Palo Alto, CaliforniaSearch for more papers by this author First published: 04 September 2002 https://doi.org/10.1002/da.10059Citations: 36AboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Abstract People exposed to high altitudes often experience somatic symptoms triggered by hypoxia, such as breathlessness, palpitations, dizziness, headache, and insomnia. Most of the symptoms are identical to those reported in panic attacks or severe anxiety. Potential causal links between adaptation to altitude and anxiety are apparent in all three leading models of panic, namely, hyperventilation (hypoxia leads to hypocapnia), suffocation false alarms (hypoxia counteracted to some extent by hypocapnia), and cognitive misinterpretations (symptoms from hypoxia and hypocapnia interpreted as dangerous). Furthermore, exposure to high altitudes produces respiratory disturbances during sleep in normals similar to those in panic disorder at low altitudes. In spite of these connections and their clinical importance, evidence for precipitation of panic attacks or more gradual increases in anxiety during altitude exposure is meager. 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Citing Literature Volume16, Issue22002Pages 51-58 ReferencesRelatedInformation