Are panic attacks traumatic stressors?

Abstract

Like typical stressors that produce posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), panic attacks are sudden, unpredictable, and often perceived as life-threatening. Structured interviews with 30 subjects with panic disorder revealed that five (17%) and two (7%) met lifetime and current DSM-III-R PTSD criteria, respectively, following their most terrifying panic attack. PTSD produced by panic is less severe than PTSD produced by either rape or combat.