There is a great similarity in symptoms... How do we differentiate between panic attacks and heart disease?

 

Russian psychiatrist and addiction specialist Maria Kasperovich revealed how to distinguish between panic attacks and heart disease, warning of the great similarity in symptoms that leads to delayed diagnosis.

In an interview with the Russian newspaper Gazeta.ru, the doctor said: "Many patients begin their treatment journey with cardiologists, where they undergo electrocardiograms and ultrasounds, before finally discovering that the problem is psychological. Many believe that psychological problems do not cause pain, but in reality, during a panic attack, for example, the body activates the emergency response system. There is no real danger in this case, but the brain behaves as if life is in danger."

She added: “During a panic attack, the nervous system is stimulated to release stress hormones, which leads to an increased heart rate and high blood pressure. These are symptoms that make the patient feel as if they are suffering from a serious organic disease. These symptoms are sometimes accompanied by a feeling of pain or tingling in the chest, or an increased heart rate.”

The doctor pointed out a common mistake that some people sometimes make when they have a panic attack and experience pain in the heart or chest, as they try to convince themselves that the pain is just an illusion, stressing that a panic attack is not imaginary, as all the symptoms are real, but the cause lies in the nervous system and not in the heart.

Kasperovich warned against excessive worry about these attacks, as it exacerbates the symptoms and causes new attacks. She advised avoiding crowded places, staying away from stress, and staying away from anxiety-provoking places.

She emphasized that panic attacks are successfully treatable, and that the greatest danger lies not in the attack itself, but in the years a person spends fearing its recurrence, noting that many delay seeking help from a psychiatrist because they believe their symptoms are caused by heart disease.

She concluded by saying: "When a patient is told that his heart is healthy, he often feels confused rather than relieved, because he really felt like he was dying. Heart health does not mean that the problem is imaginary, but rather that help should be sought from a psychiatrist."