To assess progress in panic symptom management, which two factors should be monitored?

• A. Trends in blood pressure and heart rate
• B. Trends in blood glucose and lipid levels
• C. Triggers such as major life events; Caffeine and nicotine intake
• D. Oxygen saturation and respiratory rate

Answer: (C)

Monitoring triggers and arousal drivers provides the clearest picture of progress in panic symptom management. Tracking major life events helps you see how stressors correlate with panic frequency and intensity, so you can evaluate how well coping strategies are reducing reactivity to those triggers. Similarly, watching caffeine and nicotine intake matters because these substances boost physiological arousal and can provoke or worsen panic symptoms; noting their use allows you to see whether reducing or avoiding them leads to calmer periods and fewer attacks.

Other physiological measurements, like blood pressure or heart rate, can reflect temporary arousal but don’t reliably show overall progress in managing panic over time. Likewise, blood glucose, lipids, or basic respiratory metrics aren’t direct indicators of how well someone is learning to cope with panic in daily life.