Whether A Panic Attack Or Heart Attack, The Symptoms Are Similar
The symptoms of a panic attack vs heart attack are similar, making a diagnosis difficult for a medical professional examining and testing a patient in an emergency room. Because physicians are accustomed to seeing males over age 50 having heart attacks, the automatic assumption for females and younger individuals is that their symptoms are caused by a panic attack. The confusing symptoms of a panic attack have led individuals to think they are having a heart attack, and the result is calling paramedics for medical assistance. Approximately 40 percent of individuals with a panic disorder learn about this condition after they sought medical help for chest pain that they thought was atrial fibrillation.
Heart Attack Symptoms Progress in Severity
Experts have learned that panic attacks can occur several times a day or a few times a year, depending on the patient’s emotional distress and tendency to worry. A panic attack is incredibly frightening for an individual with a chronic panic disorder because there is no way of knowing when or where another attack will occur. In addition, individuals feel embarrassed after experiencing a panic attack in a public place such as at work or while driving a vehicle and behaving inappropriately. An important difference between a heart attack vs panic attack is that a panic attack’s symptoms usually last a maximum of 10 minutes while heart attack symptoms last longer and progress in severity.
Symptoms of Panic Attacks vs Heart Attacks
Symptoms of a panic attack include:
Abdominal discomfort
Shortness of breath
Profuse perspiration
Intense shaking
Feeling faint or dizzy
Alternatively, the symptoms of a heart attack are:
Chest pain after strenuous physical activity
Pain that travels from the chest to the limbs, jaw or back
A feeling of pressure in the chest that increases
Discomfort on the left side of the chest
No chest discomfort but pain in other regions
It’s important to know that experiencing heart damage can increase your risk of experiencing secondary conditions such as heart failure. Heart failure is when your heart is not pumping the blood around your body in an effective manner, which is different from a heart attack. Depending on what part of your heart is damaged, the type of heart failure that you experience may vary.
Understanding A Panic Attack vs Heart Attack
An important way for someone to determine if they are having a heart attack vs panic attack is by noticing their heartbeat. An individual having a panic attack will describe a loud heartbeat or pounding noise in their ears while someone having a heart attack will not hear their heart beating. During a medical examination in an emergency room, a patient having a heart attack or atrial fibrillation will usually have a drop in blood pressure, experience light-headedness or describe feeling tired. When considering whether symptoms are from a heart attack or panic attack, it is also essential to think about other things that lead to heartbeat palpitations such as drinking too much caffeine, experiencing dehydration or taking medication.
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