How Can You Recognize a Panic Attack or Heart Attack?

How Can You Recognize a Panic Attack or Heart Attack?

Inputs by Dr. Nitin Jagasia, Consultant, Emergency Medicine, Apollo Hospitals, Navi Mumbai.

One can suddenly feel chest pain, shortness
of breath, and a tingling sensation running through the body. Is it a heart
attack or a panic attack? Both of these can have similar symptoms. Additionally,
having a heart attack can cause someone to panic, which may make the situation
more confusing for the patient. Regardless, if an individual feels that he/shemay
be having a heart attack, he/she should seek emergency medical attention.

Telling the
Difference:

What
does a Panic Attack feel like?

Panic attacks can sometimes occur
unexpectedly or without a trigger,making them scary and easy to confuse with
more serious physical health problems.

Here are a few pointers to help you recognize
a panic attack –

• It
  tends to affect the younger generation
• Occurs
  after triggers such as seeing blood, a serious accident or receiving bad news
• Self-limiting
  after a few minutes

What does a Heart
Attack feel like?

Chest pain or pressure is the most common
symptom of a heart attack; still, people who are having a heart attack may
experience a range of conditions like:

• Shortness
  of breath
• Heart
  palpitations or racing heart
• Upper
  body pain (shoulders, arms, back, neck, jaw, teeth, etc.).
• Stomach
  upset and abdominal pain
• Dizziness
  or lightheadedness
• Anxiety
• Hot
  or cold sweats
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Fainting
  (more likely in women, the elderly, and people with diabetes)
• Fatigue

While the symptoms of these two conditions may
sometimes coincide, understanding the differences between them can prove
lifesaving. Knowing the difference between a panic attack and a heart attack
can be difficult, especially if a person has never experienced the symptoms of
either before. But one of the main ways panic attacks are distinguished from
heart attacks is by duration — most panic attacks will be over within ten
minutes (and often less), while heart attacks can last much longer.

In case of any doubts, consult a medical professional at the earliest.