Alcohol dependence in panic disorder patients.

The present study examined the prevalence of alcohol dependence among panic disorder patients. Twenty-four of 100 patients had a history of alcohol dependence according to DSM-III-R criteria; only one patient met criteria for current alcohol dependence. The lifetime prevalence obtained for this clinic sample exceeded that for the general population, and appeared to be due primarily to higher than expected rates among women. A childhood history of anxiety disorders and co-morbid diagnoses of social phobia and major depression were each associated with relatively higher rates of alcohol dependence. The clinical implications of these findings are discussed.