An electrolyte disturbance masquerading as a panic attack

Authors

Anne Wildermuth, Anne Wildermuth is an assistant professor in the School of Medicine at the Uniformed Services University in Bethesda, Md., and practices in emergency medicine with MedStar Emergency Physicians in Clinton, Md. At the time this article was written, Meagan Lantz and Erin Sagers were students in the PA program at the George Washington University in Washington, D.C. Ms. Lantz now practices in cardiothoracic surgery at Stanford Health Care in Palo Alto, Calif. Ms. Sagers now practices in orthopedics at EmergeOrtho Coastal Region in Wilmington, N.C. The authors have disclosed no potential conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise. The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and not of the Department of Defense, Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., or other federal agencies.
Meagan Lantz
Erin Sagers

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

1-1-2025

Journal

JAAPA : official journal of the American Academy of Physician Assistants

Volume

38

Issue

1

DOI

10.1097/01.JAA.0000000000000152

Abstract

Because proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are so commonly used, their safety and potential adverse reactions often are not considered. This article describes a patient whose paresthesias and severe muscle cramps were attributed to panic attacks but actually were caused by hypocalcemia secondary to PPI-induced hypomagnesemia. This case serves as a reminder that PPIs should be used cautiously and appropriately with consideration for regular monitoring of electrolytes and vitamin B12.

APA Citation

Wildermuth, Anne; Lantz, Meagan; and Sagers, Erin, "An electrolyte disturbance masquerading as a panic attack" (2025). GW Authored Works. Paper 6450.
https://hsrc.himmelfarb.gwu.edu/gwhpubs/6450

Department

School of Medicine and Health Sciences Student Works