Alzheimer’s Delirium and Dementia Q 28
Kris periodically has acute panic attacks. These attacks are unpredictable and have no apparent association with a specific object or situation. During an acute panic attack, Kris may experience:
A. Heightened concentration
B. Decreased perceptual field
C. Decreased cardiac rate
D. Decreased respiratory rate
Correct Answer: B. Decreased perceptual field
Panic is the most severe level of anxiety. During a panic attack, the client experiences a decrease in the perceptual field, becoming more focused on self, less aware of surroundings, and unable to process information from the environment. The decreased perceptual field contributes to impaired attention and inability to concentrate. Panic attacks are defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders (DSM) as “an abrupt surge of intense fear or discomfort” reaching a peak within minutes.
Option A: They frequently shy away from care by mental health professionals and instead seek reassurance from specialty medical consultants. It is important to remember that conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, asthma, and vocal cord dysfunction also have many symptoms similar to panic disorder.
Option C: Four or more of a specific set of physical symptoms accompany a panic attack. These symptoms include; palpitations, pounding heart, or accelerated heart rate, sweating, trembling or shaking, sensations of shortness of breath or smothering, feelings of choking, chest pain or discomfort, nausea or abdominal distress, feeling dizzy, unsteady, light-headedness, or faint, chills or heat sensations, paresthesias (numbness or tingling sensations), derealization (feelings of unreality) or depersonalization (being detached from oneself), fear of losing control or “going crazy”, and fear of dying.
Option D: The vast majority of patients with panic disorder complain of chest pain, palpitations, or dyspnea on multiple occasions. Other common symptoms may include diaphoresis, tremor, a choking sensation, nausea, chills, paresthesias, or feelings of depersonalization. Because most patients complain of physical symptoms, they often inquire about alternative explanations of their symptoms not related to mental health.