panic disorder meaning

Noun: panic disorder

An anxiety disorder characterized by unpredictable panic attacks; the attacks are usually severe but brief

Derived forms: panic disorders

[Medicine]
A type of anxiety disorder characterized by unexpected panic attacks that last minutes or,rarely,hours. Panic attacks begin with intense apprehension,fear or terror and,often,a feeling of impending doom. Symptoms experienced during a panic attack include dyspnea or sensations of being smothered; dizziness,loss of balance or faintness; choking sensations; palpitations or accelerated heart rate; shakiness; sweating; nausea or other form of abdominal distress; depersonalization or derealization; paresthesias; hot flashes or chills; chest discomfort or pain; fear of dying and fear of not being in control of oneself or going crazy. Agoraphobia may also develop. Similar to other anxiety disorders,it may be inherited as an autosomal dominant trait.n : an anxiety neurosis characterized by recurrent unexpected panic attacks followed by a month or more of worry about their recurrence, implications, or consequences or by a change in behavior related to the panic attacks