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Background: Panic disorder is a heterogeneous disorder, comprising a variety of somatic, physiological, and cognitive symptoms during repeated panic attacks. As a result, considerable data have examined whether panic attacks may be classified into distinct diagnostic or functional subtypes. The aim of this study is to evaluate the existing literature regarding the validity of panic attack subtypes. Methods: This review focuses on data published since 2000, with the publication of DSM-IV-TR, augmented by replicated data published since 1980, with the publication of DSM-III and subsequently DSM-IV. Published reports evaluating empirical evidence for the validity of panic attack subtypes are reviewed. Results: Five sets of panic symptoms (respiratory, nocturnal, nonfearful, cognitive, and vestibular) have been shown to cluster together at varying degrees of consistency. However, none of these potential subtypes …