PANIC-FEAR IN ASTHMA - REQUESTS FOR AS NEEDED MEDICATIONS IN RELATION TO PULMONARY-FUNCTION MEASUREMENTS

[摘要] Requests for as-needed medications and treatments (PRNs) by asthmatic patients scoring high, moderate or low on the Asthma Symptom Checklist panic-fear category were studied for days when patients were matched at normal, intermediate and subnormal levels of pulmonary function. Low panic-fear patients were the least likely to request PRNs regardless of the pulmonary function level. High panic-fear patients often requested PRNs at each level of pulmonary function. Only moderate panic-fear patients made progressively more PRN requests on days when pulmonary functions were lower. The adverse influence of extreme panic-fear coping styles upon the treatment of asthma were discussed.