Limited symptom attack

Limited Symptom Attack (Limited Symptom Panic Attack or LPA/LSA) denotes a milder, less comprehensive panic attack with less than 4 panic related symptoms being experienced (APA 1994). Limited symptom attacks often manifest in anxiety disorders, phobias, panic disorder and agoraphobia. However, experiencing a limited symptom attack is not necesarrily indicative of mental illness. Often persons recovering from and/or being treated for panic attacks and panic disorder will experience Limited Symptom Attacks.

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Description/Example

The term limited symptom attack (LPA) refers to a panic attack with less than four symptoms. For example, a sudden episode of intense dizziness or trembling accompanied by fear that something terrible is about to happen. Many people with panic disorder have a mixture of full blown and limited symptom attacks.

Symptoms

During a limited symptom attack less than 4 of the following symptoms would be experienced:

• shortness of breath
• heart palpitations
• trembling
• dizziness
• chest pain
• perspiration
• derealization
• parathesia
• hyperventilation
• nausea
• dyspnea
• vertigo
• lightheadness
• choking sensations
• fear of dying
• fear of insanity

Duration

As with a panic attack a limited symptom attack typically peaks in 10 minutes. However, attacks can be short lived as well- 1 to 5 minutes or form a series of episodes waxing and waning for a period of hours.

Comparison to a Panic Attack

According to the DSM-IV description a Limited Symptom Attack is quite simply a panic attack with less than 4 symptoms. In contrast, a full blown panic attack must include 4 or more symptoms.

See also

• panic attack

• panic disorder

References

Shioriri, T. , Someya, T. et. al (1997) Department of Psychiatry, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Japan. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=9141140&dopt=Abstract

Katerndahl, David (2003) The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/abstract/61005541/ABSTRACT?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0

Anxiety B.C. http://www.anxietybc.com

Anti Stress Center (2002) http://www.antistresscenter.com/anxiety.htm

Mind Disorders http://www.minddisorders.com/Ob-Ps/Panic-attack.html

Panic and Anxiety Disorders http://www.panicanxietydisorder.org.au/1_What%20are%20Panic%20Attacks.htm

Centres for Anxiety Disorders and Trauma http://psychology.iop.kcl.ac.uk/cadat/GPs/panicdisorder