Panic Attack vs Heart Attack Symptoms– Similar But Not the Same

admin — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 07:30:45 +0000

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Chest pain, a fluttering heart, and difficulty to breathe; these symptoms are often linked to a heart attack and it is definitely terrifying for a person experiencing them. So, when a person suffers from palpitations, anxiety, breathlessness and indigestion, these signs are often misread to be symptoms of a heart attack. However, these symptoms may not necessarily be tied to a heart attack; rather it could be signs leading to a panic attack. Naturally people become very fearful of these symptoms as a heart attack is life threatening. But we can have a little ease knowing that panic attacks do not lead to death. While the symptoms may be similar, they are not the same.

Chest pain is the most common symptom of a heart attack. Chest pains can be the result of intense cardio exercise, and this may cause a heart attack. When a heart attack happens, a person will experience excruciating chest pain, and the pain is concentrated on the centre of the chest. The pain is extremely overwhelming, as if something terribly heavy is dropped on a person’s chest over the heart. The pain is continuous and can be felt on the back and neck. The pain can go on for almost 15 minutes, and often times it also spreads to the left arm. This pain is also generally accompanied by nausea, and sufferers tend to throw up.

It is true that chest pain also occurs during a panic attack. However, chest pain that is experienced as a result of anxiety disorders is different in nature compared to that of a heart attack. During a panic attack, a person tends to feel a sharp pain over the heart, and this pain is not continuous. Instead, it comes and goes for a few minutes, usually for not more than 3 minutes. Hyperventilation, or an offset in breathing, is usually the culprit that provokes a panic attack. This means that the weight of the problem does not lie with the heart. In other words, the problem is not coronary. Rather it is psychological. The attack the person is experiencing is not caused by the heart, but the mind – so the heart finds itself in a situation of flight or fight response.

A panic attack and a heart attack are definitely different. A panic attack will not cause a heart attack. Worse come to worse, a person will faint before anything serious happens. Naturally, people who have a panic attack worry whether it will have a negative impact on their heart in time to come. It is best for people to take precautionary measures and pay attention to the symptoms of chest pain. If the chest pain persists after a few minutes, if it goes and returns, or if the pain is focused on the center of the chest even after 10 minutes, then it is best to visit the doctor. If chest pain is accompanied by vomiting, then extra concern should be taken and medical help should be sought immediately.

To be extra sure whether or not the chest pain experienced is caused by heart problems, there are a number of things individuals can do. Heart problems can be diagnosed with electrocardiogram (ECG), which measures the heart’s electrical activity. Another way is through the Multi-Function Cardio Gram (MCG), which is a little more advanced than ECG to trace the heart. Other methods such as blood tests, stress tests, angiography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can also be utilized for a more thorough diagnosis for heart problems.

Panic attacks, on the other hand, are caused by anxiety and stress. Anxiety is bad for a person’s overall well being. So, anyone experiencing panic attacks should start practicing a healthy lifestyle of eating and sleeping well, besides exercising regularly. Panic disorders can be overcome through healthy living, therapy, breathing exercises and also use of medications. While a panic attack does not lead to death or heart attack, people should pay more attention to their health and overall well being of both the mind and body.

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Anxiety Medicine For Generalized Anxiety Disorder

admin — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 07:30:00 +0000

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If you are suffering from generalized anxiety disorder and feel depressed all the time, then you should talk to your doctor about the possibility of taking anxiety medicine. There are many ways to treat and manage anxiety and the most popular ones are the use of anxiety medicine and the various therapies such as the Cognitive-Behavioral therapy (CBT), the Exposure therapy, and the Psychoanalytic therapy. If you get a recommendation by a health professional, you should take part in such therapies since most of them are beneficial for the anxiety disorder sufferers. The main goal of such therapies is to replace your negative thoughts with realistic thoughts, lessen your worries and thus reduce your stress levels.

However, in some cases the effects can be relatively short-term and you might consider other options in order to manage your worries and fears. One such option is the anxiety medicine treatment. You should never take these medications on your own – always consult with a medical professional and once you both agreed on the use of medicaments, follow his instructions to the letter.

What kind of anxiety medications is available and how can they help you if you are a sufferer?

The medications can be divided into four major groups:

Tricyclic anti-depressants are mostly prescribed to people that suffer from panic disorder. You might be suffering from anxiety (panic) disorder if you experience frequent and intense panic attacks. These have symptoms, similar to a heart attack, and can be quite frightening. Once you have consulted with your physician and have been diagnosed with panic disorder, then you might talk to him about the possibility of managing your condition with tricyclic anti-depressants. Different types of this group of drugs are also used for treating depression and obsessive compulsive disorder, but even though they are some of the most often prescribed in some cases their side effects might outweigh their benefits.

Benzodiazepines (called “benzo” for short) is actually the most prescribed drugs to anxiety sufferers and are also given to people that suffer from seizures, insomnia, alcohol withdrawal, and other conditions. They in turn can be divided into short, medium and longer-acting and the latter are used for treating anxiety disorders. The effect of the drug is that they lower the GABA (Gamma-Amino Butyric Acid) levels and thus inhibit and thus reduces excitability.

Serotonin-specific reuptake inhibitor (SSRIs) is a class of medications, used for treating personality disorders, depressions, insomnia, as well as anxiety disorders since the 1980s. The different anxiety disorders that they are used to manage are the panic disorders, OCD, social anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and others. They work by increasing the serotonin levels, which in turn heightens the sending of nerve impulses.

Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) are mainly prescribed to patients that suffer from severe depression, mood disorders, and various other disorders like anxiety disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), OCD, and others. They work by increasing the norepinephrine and serotonin levels, which are two of the main neurotransmitters that influence the mood. The SNRIs are more widely used than the SSRIs, even though they have been introduced after them, and are believed to have stronger antidepressant effect.

When treating your anxiety you should always talk to a medical professional, you might want to try a few therapies first and learn a few ways to manage your anxiety levels on your own. However, if you determine that none of these measures is effective, then you should ask your doctor about the available medication and take them the prescribed way. As with almost all other medications, you must be aware that there are side effects that might harm your health – take that into consideration too.

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The fear of an anxiety attack by itself can trigger an attack. This is true as reported by many anxiety disorder patients and after resolving the “meta” fear, most reported an immediate cessation of anxiety attacks.

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Panic Attack vs Heart Attack Symptoms– Similar But Not the Same

Watch Real People Discussing Ways To Deal With Anxiety

Watch Real People Discussing Ways To Deal With Anxiety. Click Here Now!

Anxiety Medicine For Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Stop Panic Attacks and End General Anxiety in Minutes!

Learn how to get rid of the "meta" fear, and you will be able to naturally prevent anxiety attacks.