Overview

• About 80% of emergency-department chest-pain visits are low-risk and not cardiac, according to Indiana University and Regenstrief researchers.
• In the PACER cohort, more than 42% had severe anxiety on the GAD-7, and three-quarters screened positive for panic disorder.
• Anxiety frequently co-occurred with depression, somatization, and post-traumatic stress disorder in these patients.
• Evidence supports cognitive behavioral therapy—including therapist-led and peer-supported internet-based formats—and prescription psychotropic medications to reduce symptoms.
• Published in Academic Emergency Medicine with PCORI support, the work indicates targeted treatment can curb unnecessary evaluations and repeat ED visits, with clinicians cautioned that reassurance alone is insufficient.