Rattan, a middle-aged man is chronically preoccupied with his health. For many years he feared that his irregular bowel functions meant he had cancer. Now he is very preoccupied about having a serious hea disease, despite his physician's assurance that the occasional "extra beats" he detects when he checks his pulse are completely benign. What is his most likely diagnosis?

Hypochodriasis is characterized by fear of developing or having a serious disease, based on the patient's distoed interpretation of normal physical sensations or signs. The patient continues worrying even though physical exams and diagnostic tests fail to reveal any pathological process. The fears do not have the absolute ceainty of delusions. Hypochondriasis can develop in every age group, but onset is most common between 20 and 30 years of age. Both genders are equally represented, and there are no differences in prevalence based on social, educational, or marital status. The disorder tends to have a chronic, relapsing course