This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Add to My Marked Citations Google Scholar Articles by Zvolensky, M. J. Articles by Solomon, S. E. PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Zvolensky, M. J. Articles by Solomon, S. E. Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

Cardiophobia: A Critical Analysis

University of Vermont, Michael.Zvolensky{at}uvm.edu

Matthew T. Feldner

University of Arkansas, mfeldne{at}uark.edu

Georg H. Eifert

Chapman University, geifert{at}chapman.edu

Anka A. Vujanovic

University of Vermont, avujanov{at}uvm.edu

Sondra E. Solomon

University of Vermont, Sondra.solomon{at}uvm.edu

Cardiophobia, a clinical syndrome that affects hundreds of thousands of individuals in the USA, is characterized by abrupt, recurrent sensations and pain in the chest in the absence of physical pathology. This conceptual article seeks to address the significance of cardiophobia in western culture and to distinguish it from related disorders. In addition, a model of cardiophobia that highlights the role of heart-focused anxiety and interoceptive conditioning in the generation of limited-symptom panic attacks and acute chest pain is presented and vulnerability factors for cardiophobia are discussed. Future research directions relevant to the assessment and treatment of this clinically significant phenomenon are reviewed.

Key Words: cardiophobia • chest pain • heart-focused anxiety • review

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?