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Health Dictionary

Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.

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Generalized anxiety disorder natural history, complications and prognosis

Introduction

Overview

Overview

In the National Comorbidity Survey (2005), 58% of patients diagnosed with major depression were found to have an anxiety disorder. Accumulating evidence indicates that patients with comorbid depression and anxiety tend to have greater illness severity and a lower treatment response than those with either disorder alone. In addition, social function and quality of life are more greatly impaired. Approximately one-quarter of the patients with generalized anxiety disorder, will develop panic disorder.

Natural History, Complications and Prognosis

Natural History, Complications and Prognosis

  • In the National Comorbidity Survey (2005), 58% of patients diagnosed with major depression were found to have an anxiety disorder; among these patients, the rate of comorbidity with GAD was 17.2%, and with panic disorder, 9.9%.
  • Patients with a diagnosed anxiety disorder also had high rates of comorbid depression, including 22.4% of patients with social phobia, 9.4% with agoraphobia, and 2.3% with panic disorder.[1]
    • For many, the symptoms of both depression and anxiety are not severe enough (i.e. are subsyndromal) to justify a primary diagnosis of either major depressive disorder (MDD) or an anxiety disorder.
  • Patients can also be categorized as having mixed anxiety-depressive disorder, and they are at significantly increased risk of developing full-blown depression or anxiety. Appropriate treatment is necessary to alleviate symptoms and prevent the emergence of more serious disease.[2]
  • Accumulating evidence indicates that patients with comorbid depression and anxiety tend to have greater illness severity and a lower treatment response than those with either disorder alone. In addition, social function and quality of life are more greatly impaired.
  • Patients with physical symptoms such as insomnia or headaches should also tell their doctors about their feelings of worry and tension.[3]
    • This will help the patient’s health care provider to recognize whether the person is suffering from GAD.
  • Approximately one-quarter of the patients with generalized anxiety disorder, will develop panic disorder.[4]
References

References

  1. ↑ Morissette SB, Tull MT, Gulliver SB, Kamholz BW, Zimering RT (2007). “Anxiety, anxiety disorders, tobacco use, and nicotine: a critical review of interrelationships”. Psychol Bull. 133 (2): 245–72. doi:10.1037/0033-2909.133.2.245. PMID 17338599.
  2. ↑ Kessler RC, Keller MB, Wittchen HU (March 2001). “The epidemiology of generalized anxiety disorder”. Psychiatr. Clin. North Am. 24 (1): 19–39. PMID 11225507.
  3. ↑ Newman MG, Przeworski A, Fisher AJ, Borkovec TD (2010). “Diagnostic comorbidity in adults with generalized anxiety disorder: impact of comorbidity on psychotherapy outcome and impact of psychotherapy on comorbid diagnoses”. Behav Ther. 41 (1): 59–72. doi:10.1016/j.beth.2008.12.005. PMC 2827339. PMID 20171328.
  4. ↑ Shalev I, Moffitt TE, Braithwaite AW, Danese A, Fleming NI, Goldman-Mellor S; et al. (2014). “Internalizing disorders and leukocyte telomere erosion: a prospective study of depression, generalized anxiety disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder”. Mol Psychiatry. 19 (11): 1163–70. doi:10.1038/mp.2013.183. PMC 4098012. PMID 24419039.

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Irfan Dotani