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Presentation comparison
RoutineCovers panic, generalised anxiety, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, health anxiety, and physiological mimics.
5 of 9 diagnoses compared
| CriteriaComparison detail | Panic disorderRoutine |
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Abrupt peak over minutes, recurrent unexpected attacks, anticipatory anxiety or avoidance.
Clinical reference — not validated decision support. Review before use.
| Generalised anxiety disorderRoutine |
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| OCDUrgent |
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| Body dysmorphic disorderRoutine |
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| Illness anxiety disorderRoutine |
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| Social anxiety disorderRoutineNot selected |
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| PTSD hyperarousal mislabelled as anxietyRoutineNot selected |
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| Substance- or medication-induced anxietyRoutineNot selected |
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| Medical or physiological mimicRoutineNot selected |
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| Why it fits | Sudden discrete surges of intense fear with palpitations, dyspnoea, chest pain, trembling, derealisation | Persistent multi-domain worry, tension, irritability, poor concentration, muscle tension | Intrusive unwanted thoughts, images, urges, followed by rituals or mental neutralising | Preoccupation with perceived defect in appearance, mirror checking, camouflaging, avoidance | Persistent fear of having/acquiring serious illness despite minimal somatic symptoms | Fear of scrutiny, embarrassment, blushing, shaking, negative evaluation | Hypervigilance, startle, re-experiencing, avoidance, anger, sleep disruption after trauma | After stimulants, caffeine, cannabis, alcohol/benzo withdrawal, antidepressant activation, steroid use | First severe anxiety with chest pain, collapse, dyspnoea, syncope, tremor, autonomic change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| What argues against | Applies to the whole presentationReview locally. | ||||||||
| Must-not-miss | PE, arrhythmia, ACS, asthma, thyrotoxicosis, severe stimulant use | Severe insomnia, hidden depression, substance self-medication | Severe time burden, self-harm obsessions, poor insight, perinatal harm obsessions | Poor insight, | |||||
| Bedside question | Applies to the whole presentationAbrupt peak over minutes, recurrent unexpected attacks, anticipatory anxiety or avoidance. | ||||||||
| Immediate action | Applies to the whole presentationStabilise and reassess. | ||||||||
| Investigations | Applies to the whole presentationGuided by presentation. | ||||||||
| Mimics / overlap | Applies to the whole presentationReview overlap locally. | ||||||||
Scroll horizontally to review more candidate differentials. Clinical reference — not validated decision support. Review before use.
Review locally.
Abrupt peak over minutes, recurrent unexpected attacks, anticipatory anxiety or avoidance.
Stabilise and reassess.
Guided by presentation.
Review overlap locally.
Sudden discrete surges of intense fear with palpitations, dyspnoea, chest pain, trembling, derealisation
PE, arrhythmia, ACS, asthma, thyrotoxicosis, severe stimulant use
Persistent multi-domain worry, tension, irritability, poor concentration, muscle tension
Severe insomnia, hidden depression
Intrusive unwanted thoughts, images, urges, followed by rituals or mental neutralising
Severe time burden, self-harm obsessions,
Preoccupation with perceived defect in appearance, mirror checking, camouflaging, avoidance
Poor insight, severe avoidance,
Persistent fear of having/acquiring serious illness despite minimal somatic symptoms
Healthcare overutilisation, escalating investigations
Based on current selection
Safety first. Act early.
Create a concise comparison summary for documentation or handoff.
Source pending review
v10 | Local content only
Last updated: Pending review
Open a selected differential to review its clinical record.
Based on current selection
Safety first. Act early.
Create a concise comparison summary for documentation or handoff.
Source pending review
v10 | Local content only
Last updated: Pending review
| Healthcare overutilisation, escalating investigations, severe avoidance |
| Severe avoidance, alcohol self-medication, school/work collapse |
| Dissociation, aggression, self-harm, severe insomnia |
| Withdrawal seizures, severe agitation, serotonin toxicity, chest pain |
| ACS, arrhythmia, asthma, PE, thyrotoxicosis, hypoglycaemia, phaeochromocytoma |