Generalised Anxiety

CLINICAL DIAGNOSTIC MANUAL

Generalised anxiety is a condition characterised by excessive and persistent worry that is difficult to control and can significantly affect a person’s daily life.

Often, these worries are disproportionate to the actual impact of the events or situations that trigger them.

Generalised anxiety can present with a variety of physical and psychological symptoms, making it a complex condition that requires careful evaluation and management.

Pathology	Symptoms and Clinical Signs	Suspected Diagnosis	Confirmed Diagnosis
Generalised anxiety disorder	Excessive worry, restlessness, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, irritability, muscle tension, sleep disturbances	Detailed clinical history, symptoms persisting for at least 6 months	Clinical interview, self-assessment questionnaires
Panic disorder	Recurrent panic attacks, palpitations, sweating, trembling, shortness of breath, intense fear	History of sudden and recurrent episodes of intense anxiety	Clinical interview, self-assessment questionnaires, exclusion of other causes
Alcohol withdrawal syndrome	Anxiety, trembling, sweating, nausea, insomnia, hallucinations	History of chronic alcohol consumption, symptoms following alcohol cessation	Clinical interview, laboratory tests to detect blood alcohol levels
Thyrotoxicosis	Anxiety, weight loss, tremors, sweating, palpitations, heat intolerance	History of hyperthyroidism symptoms, physical examination	Thyroid function tests (TSH, free T4), thyroid scan
Hypoglycaemia	Anxiety, sweating, trembling, hunger, confusion, palpitations	History of episodes associated with low blood glucose	Blood glucose test (fasting and during symptoms)
Phaeochromocytoma	Anxiety, hypertension, palpitations, sweating, headaches, panic episodes	History of episodic symptoms and hypertensive crises	Measurement of urine and plasma metanephrines, CT scan