Symptoms come on quickly: you feel your chest tighten, your heart rate increases, and you start to sweat. Is it a heart attack? Or is it a panic attack? It can often be difficult to tell the difference (especially if you’ve never had either) and this just adds to the confusion and stress.
So how can you tell the difference between a panic attack and a heart attack? The cardiologist Dr. Mistyann-Blue Miller explains in an article from the Cleveland Clinic (USA) what these two diseases have in common and how they differ.
Easy to confuse
During a heart attack, part of the heart does not receive enough blood. This usually happens because an artery that supplies blood to the heart is blocked.
A panic attack is a sudden bout of overwhelming fear or anxiety triggered by the body’s fight-or-flight response. Panic attacks are not life-threatening, but they do affect quality of life and mental well-being.
People who experience regular or frequent panic attacks may have panic disorder, a type of anxiety disorder. But an isolated panic attack can affect anyone, even without a diagnosis of panic disorder.
Both diseases are easy to confuse. But how can they be distinguished? The cardiologist first addresses the symptoms associated with both diseases.
Symptoms of a heart attack
The most common symptoms of a heart attack include:
- Chest pain or pressure on the chest.
- Heart palpitations or racing heart.
- Lightheadedness or fainting.
- Sweating, also cold sweat.
- Pain or discomfort in the upper body, such as the jaw, neck, arms, shoulders, or back.
- Shortness of breath.
- Nausea or vomiting.
- Feeling of impending doom.
Remember that a heart attack can be life-threatening. So don’t wait for the symptoms to go away. Seek medical attention immediately if you notice signs of a heart attack.
Symptoms of a panic attack
Symptoms of a panic attack include:
- Chest pain.
- Heart palpitations or racing heart.
- Sweat.
- Difficulty breathing.
- Stomach pain or nausea.
- Feeling of impending doom.
- Sudden intense fear.
- Tremble.
- Weakness or dizziness.
In many cases, a panic attack triggers a rapid heartbeat, also called tachycardia. Heart rate can be up to 200 beats per minute or even faster.
A fast heart rate can make you feel lightheaded and short of breath. Or you may feel a fluttering or throbbing in your chest. Typically, tachycardia that occurs in response to emotional stress and lasts only a few minutes is not harmful.
However, if it happens regularly or you have possible symptoms of a heart attack, see a doctor.
Important differences
So while some symptoms of a heart attack and a panic attack overlap, such as chest pain, shortness of breath, nausea, and a feeling of impending doom, Dr. Miller highlights the key differences to be aware of.
The place of pain
While both heart attacks and panic attacks cause chest discomfort, you should focus on the area where the pain occurs.
“During a heart attack, the pain radiates to other areas such as the arm, jaw or neck,” says Dr. Miller. “If it’s a panic attack, the pain usually stays in the chest.”
When you feel pain
Another important difference between a heart attack and a panic attack? Heart attacks usually occur after physical stress or exertion – a sign not found in panic attacks.
“A heart attack can occur after shoveling snow or climbing stairs,” explains Dr. Miller. “But you wouldn’t have a panic attack after exercise unless there was an emotional stress trigger.”
But what if the symptoms hit you at night? Both panic attacks and heart attacks can wake you from sleep. However, there is one crucial difference: people who have panic attacks at night usually also have panic attacks during the day.
So if you wake up with chest pain or other symptoms and have no history of panic attacks, that could be a sign of a heart attack.
How long the pain lasts
Symptoms of a panic attack last from a few minutes to an hour. Then the symptoms disappear and you feel better. But a heart attack doesn’t go away.
Pain and symptoms of a heart attack may persist or come in spurts where they become progressively worse.
“Heart attacks can cause severe chest pain, about a 9 or 10 on the pain scale,” explains Dr. Miller. “Later the pain can then go down to a 3 or 4 before it gets worse again. The pain might change, but it won’t go away.”
Don’t take any risks
One thing to keep in mind? Emotional stress plays a role in both diseases.
“Both panic attacks and heart attacks can occur during or after a stressful situation,” says Dr. Miller. “But most of the time, people are more likely to have a panic attack than a heart attack in response to emotional stress.”
People with anxiety, depression, or chronic stress may be at higher risk of heart problems. Chronic stress can lead to high blood pressure, which increases the risk of heart attack and stroke.
It’s also important to know that a heart attack can seem like it’s coming out of nowhere. But in many cases, chest pain from a heart condition known as angina occurs in the days or weeks before a cardiac event.
“You may feel a stabbing or pain in your shoulder or chest, but think it’s something else,” notes Dr. Miller. “The symptoms disappear. Later the pain gets worse or you feel a little uncomfortable. Then a heart attack occurs. These early signs can be difficult to detect.”
A heart attack is a medical emergency. It’s not a panic attack. However, because the symptoms overlap, it can be difficult to tell them apart. Do not take any risks.
If you have chest pain or other heart attack symptoms, or are not sure whether it is a heart attack or a panic attack, seek medical attention immediately. (ad)
