Abstract
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the most common gastrointestinal disorders with an estimated prevalence of 8% to 22% in the general population. A minority of patients seek treatment for the disorder, yet it accounts for 20% to 50% of gastroenterology clinic patients. The illness occurs twice as frequently in women as in men and has an onset in the early 20s [1,2]. It has a chronic course and, while there is no predisposition to other disease or increased mortality, IBS is associated with significant morbidity in the form of sick days and limitation of activities. Irritable bowel syndrome has no clearly established pathogenesis or treatment and the diagnosis remains one of exclusion without a biological marker. The relationship between IBS and panic disorder, which is the subject of this paper, appears to be especially close. Both are prevalent among young women, have a chronic fluctuating course, are associated with multiple somatic complaints, and appear to be familial. In fact, there are IBS patients whose symptoms appear to be a manifestation of coexisting panic disorder. The following case report describes a patient with both panic disorder and IBS whose panic and irritable bowel symptoms resolved with antipanic medication.