Evaluation of Pulmonary Function and Inspiratory Muscle Strength in Individuals with Anxiety Disorder.

Anxiety disorder is a mental health condition characterized by persistent, excessive worry and fear accompanied by physical tension and other behavioral and cognitive symptoms for several months. It can interfere with activities of daily living and impair individual’s personal and professional life.Normally, anxiety leads individuals to tense up their muscles and activate their sympathetic and, to lesser extent, parasympathetic neural systems. The autonomic activation leads to increased respiratory rate, heart rate, blood pressure, and sweat gland activity. Anxiety can possibly alter the breathing pattern increasing muscle tension, leading to weakness and affecting overall physical functionality. Limited research has demonstrated the influence of ongoing persistent anxiety on respiratory function and respiratory muscle strength.Pulmonary function test (PFT) and maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP) are helpful tools to evaluate pulmonary function and inspiratory muscle strength. These values can serve and may help improve patient outcomes. Anxiety disorders are generally associated with psychological changes; therefore, this study aims to demonstrate physiological changes in respiratory system.