Diabetologie und Stoffwechsel 2007; 2 - A5
DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-984751

Agoraphobic behavior in diabetics – iatrogenic agoraphobia

P Heras 1, K Kritikos 1, A Hatzopoulos 1, M Safarikas 1, D Mitsibounas 1
  • 1Hellenic Medical Society for the Study of Psychosomatic Problems, Athens, Greece

The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence rate of agoraphobic behaviour in diabetics, the mechanism of agoraphobic arousal and the possibilities of the therapeutic intervention.

Patients and Method

Sample consisted from 53 individuals suffering from diabetes mellitus/DM/:

Insulin-dependent DM (E10)

19

35.8%

Non-Insulin-dependent DM (E11)

34

64.2%

Male: 25 (47.2%) Female: 28 (52.8%)

Average age (years): 59.13±12.4

Max: 78 years Min: 26 years

The psychosomatic team explored the in patients at the Internal Clinic, in the order of the admission, during the course of diagnostic procedures by the referral physician, in the period of 1.1.98.-15.2.98.

We used the following scales: BPRS, SCID, (ICD 10 or DSM In anxiety and phobic disorder/agoraphobia/CheckList of Symptoms (ICD10), ZUNG and HAMA.

Results

A kind of anxiety disorder was found in 60.4% diabetics:

F40

F41

F41.1

F40.0

E10

64.8%

32.9%

31.8%

E11

52.6%

21.1%

31.5%

The cause of agoraphobia's high frequency is in cognitive learnt fear. Therefore the authors suggest naming this entity: IATROGENIC AGORAPHOBIA. latrogenic agoraphobia is considered as the outcome of careless advising by physician concerning the restrictions in behavior or inadequately balanced medication (hypoglycemia).