Table 1.

Psychiatric Disorders That May Mimic Apical Ballooning Syndrome (ABS)

Diagnosis	Similarity to ABS	Difference From ABS
Panic attack	Acute chest pain, often at rest	Earlier age at onset
	Dyspnea	Presence of other symptoms:
	Diaphoresis	Depersonalization and derealization
	Palpitations	Fear of losing control or going crazy
Major depressive disorder	Somatic symptoms, including chest pain	Earlier age at onset
		Pain tends to be more diffuse and chronic
		Presence of other symptoms:
		Persistent depressed mood or anhedonia
		Multiple neurovegetative symptoms
Generalized anxiety disorder	Somatic symptoms, including chest pain	Earlier age at onset
		Pain tends to be abdominal, headaches, feelings of muscle tension
		Presence of other symptoms:
		Worry, difficulty controlling worry
		Irritability, impaired sleep/concentration
Somatoform disorders	Somatic symptoms, often including chest pain and dyspnea	Earlier age at onset
		Pain tends to be abdominal/pelvic and at multiple sites
		Presence of other symptoms:
		Somatic complaints, typically involving multiple organ systems
		Gastrointestinal symptoms
		Sexual/neurologic symptoms