A heart attack and a panic attack share many similar symptoms, so it is Key to determine which 1 it is, experts say.
Chest pain, racing heart, shortness of breath, and sweating can occur with both, but only a heart attack can be fatal, according to a team at Penn State Health.
A heart attack occurs when a blockage in an artery restricts blood flow to the heart muscle. Symptoms continue until a person gets emergency medical treatment.
In a panic attack, symptoms may last 20 mins and then go away.
But, only a health professional can confirm a heart attack or a panic attack, so any of the common symptoms should be taken seriously, the experts said.
Men 45 anni and older and women 55 anni and older are at higher risk for heart attack than younger men and women.
Others at high risk include people with high blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, or a family history of heart attack.
“If a young person with no risk factors experiences chest pain, the likelihood of it being a heart attack is very low,” an interventional cardiologist at Penn State Health Holy Spirit Medical Center, said in a Penn State news release.
“But chest pain in a 50-yr-old man who’s a long-time smoker with a 20-year history of diabetes most likely signals a heart attack and needs urgent medical care,” the cardiologist added.
Stress and anxiety are the main risk factors for panic attacks, but anxiety can also be associated with a heart attack.
Heart attack patients often have some symptoms in the days or wks before the attack, and heart attacks most often occur during physical activity.
Panic attacks typically happen when a person is resting and can be caused by an anxiety trigger, such as receiving bad news.
People having a panic attack should sit in a calm, dark place and take deep breaths to help slow their heart rate.
If you can’t tell whether it’s a panic or heart attack, or just want to be sure then call 911 and get seen by a doctor right away.
We can reduce your heart attack risk by eating a heart-healthy diet and getting regular exercise.
Panic attacks can be prevented through stress-lowering techniques such as meditation, deep breathing and yoga.
Eat healthy, Be healthy, Live lively, Breathe
