Here’s the difference between panic attack and heart attack

If you’re not sure and don’t know what to look for, the difference between heart attack and panic attack can be confused.

These incidents; panic attack and heart attack are somewhat similar in terms of symptoms.

For instance, let’s say one’s heart is racing rapidly and accompanied by pain in his or her chest region. Is this a panic attack or a heart attack? It is almost difficult to tell the difference.

In particular, when one has not had any experience regarding these, it is quite difficult to point…as stated by William Meurer, M.D., (University of Michigan Heart System Emergency Department).

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In essence, we know it is difficult to find or know the difference between these two attacks but what’s important is to seek medical attention, especially when you seem not to be sure about your health.

To this, call 911 so as to get evaluated as soon as possible.

From what I got after carrying out researches on these two incidents, I will start by saying that the major difference between these attacks is that, before or during a heart attack, there might be a blockage in the coronary artery which may have the same symptoms as those of panic attack.

Again, according to cdc.gov, heart attack which is also known as myocardial infarction happens when a part of the heart muscles does not get sufficient blood. The more this happens over time, the more and greater damage to the heart.

I’m going to list the symptoms down below.

Coming to the panic attack, it usually occurs when at rest while heart attack occurs or develops before or during physical exertion.

Again, when the heart’s workload increases, for example while an individual who does not always engage in physical exertion, engages in running up the stairs or working in the snow using a shovel, a heart attack is more likely to occur.

There is another difference between these two invents which has to do with duration.

Heart attack will not subside but will only get worse over time (rapidly) while panic attack will gradually reduce, diminish or subside and get resolved on its own within 18 to 25 minutes.

Symptoms and differences between panic and heart attacks

These two incidents have similar symptoms but somewhat vary in duration.

As it is, if you have five or more of the following symptoms, you may likely be experiencing a panic attack.

They are:

1. Shaking
2. An unreality sense
3. Fear of dying
4. Having chills or looking sweaty
5. Numbness in the fingers and hands
6. Anxiety with cause or without cause
7. Losing control
8. Nausea
9. Chest pain
10. Shortness of breath or breathing difficulty
11. Choking
12. Feeling dizzy, weak and faint
13. Sensation of heart attack

Panic attack occurs unexpectedly, getting to its highest point within 10 minutes. The symptoms mentioned above normally decrease in a progressive manner until they disappear completely.

It is important to recognize the above mentioned symptoms and attack from other disorders.

A panic attack will cause feelings of horror and death, heavy heart palpitation coupled with chest pain which may also be interpreted as a heart attack.

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Symptoms of Heart attack

As stated above, there is a major way to find the difference between panic attack and heart attack

A heart attack do not come and lasts less than 10 minutes, it stays and goes worse over time.

Unlike like a panic attack which comes and goes off suddenly, heart attacks will not only leave you exhausted, it will cause a chest pain and at the same time leads to mechanisms that will affect coronary vasculature directly.

The following are some of the symptoms associated with heart attacks. They are:

1. Sweating
2. Nausea
3. Vomiting
4. Pain around jaw, arm or shoulder blade
5. Shortness of breath
6. Pain that gets worse rapidly
7. Pressure in the chest region accompanied by squeezing pain
8. Sudden or involuntary onset before or during physical activity
9. Almost fainting

In general, panic attack is quite brief and the attacks can be seen as a symptom of disorders such as anxiety and those who must have suffered or had one panic attack seem to be at greater risk for another one.

In essence, panic attack and panic disorder are quite different. When there are good numbers of panic attacks which happen repeatedly and one gets worried regarding having more episodes, then, the individual may likely have a panic disorder.

Chest pain as a difference the two invents

It is worthy to note that chest pain associated with panic attack usually resides in the mid-chest region while the pain associated with heart attack is the one that moves towards the left jaw or arm.

In conclusion, panic attack usually arises when stress hormones aggravate the body’s flight response, resulting to chest pain, racing heart and other symptoms mentioned above.

In heart attack, blockage of the coronary artery results in symptoms such as breathlessness, chest pain and other symptoms mentioned above thereby resulting when an insufficient of blood gets the muscle of the heart.

Always call your doctor in cases of panic attack or heart attack or simply call 911.

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Fidel Perez

A graduate of Computer Science and Information Management Technology. Diploma – Caregiving, Certificates – Dementia and Diabetes Awareness and Management. A researcher, blogger, songwriter, singer and acoustic guitarist. Born in an environment where natural talents such as healing are imparted at our natural birth. This natural talents of healing is the result of our genetic inheritance and the training from family environment.