doi:10.1155/2011/162574 Research Article Panic Attack during Elective Gastrointestinal Endoscopy

Copyright © 2011 Charalampos Mitsonis et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Background. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) and colonoscopy (CS) can evoke anxiety, embarrassment, and discomfort. These concerns can culminate in panic attacks, which may traumatize patients and significantly decrease their compliance to the procedure. The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between preendoscopic anxiety and the possibility of a panic attack during an elective gastrointestinal endoscopy (EGE).Methods. The study population comprised of 79 Greek outpatients. The examination was carried out without the use of conscious sedation. Patients ’ anxiety levels were assessed before the procedure usin