Am I having a heart attack or panic attack?
The first time you experience a heart attack or panic attack is frightening. You may feel pressure in your chest as your heart races and you begin to sweat ― you know something isn’t right, but you don’t know exactly what’s wrong. Most importantly, should you seek medical attention?
Michael Miedema, MD, Preventive Cardiologist and Researcher, Minneapolis Heart Institute, explains, “Patients who are experiencing an episode for the first time may have difficulty knowing the difference. This is because the two events share many common symptoms.”
| Heart Attack |
Panic Attack |
| A heart attack occurs when an artery in your heart is blocked ― resulting in your heart not getting enough blood and oxygen. Heart attacks are typically brought on during or after physical exertion. |
During a panic attack, your brain unnecessarily activates your fight-or-flight response, sending alerts to the rest of your body that you are in danger ― even when there is no present threat to you or your safety.
|
| Symptoms include: |
Symptoms include: |
| Chest pressure |
Sharp, stabbing pain in chest |
| Pounding or racing heart |
Pounding or racing heart |
| Sweating |
Sweating |
| Nausea/vomiting |
Nausea/vomiting |
| Pain that radiates to jaw, arms, shoulder or back |
Pain that stays in chest |
| Feeling lightheaded/faint |
Feeling lightheaded/faint |
How to tell the difference
While symptoms of panic attacks and heart attacks overlap, there are defining characteristics that separate the two events. Chest pain or pressure is one of the most common symptoms of both conditions, but the type of pain and where it presents itself is different. “When it comes to heart attacks, the feeling is more like a weight or a tight band around the chest ― often described as an elephant sitting on your chest. Rarely do people complain of a sharp stabbing pain when they are having a heart attack,” Dr. Miedema said.
During a panic attack, the pain in the chest typically stays in the chest ― unlike a heart attack where the pain can radiate into the jaw and arms. In many cases, the feelings described during a panic attack are more vague than those of heart attacks.
Dr. Miedema explains two important considerations when determining whether a person is having a heart attack. “First, we consider the order in which the symptoms occurred — if you have been feeling increasingly anxious and then get chest pain, that is more likely to be a panic attack. Those that develop significant chest pain and then start to feel anxious are the presentations that are more concerning for heart attacks,” he said. “Second, we consider what their baseline risk factors are, such as age, and the traditional risk factors, like smoking, diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure.”
Taking care of your mental health and heart health
In both cases of heart attacks and panic attacks, there are lifestyle choices we can make to help prevent these episodes from occurring. “We know that some of the best things we can do for our physical health are best for our mental health. Exercise and eating a heart-healthy diet clearly help improve both,” Dr. Miedema said.
Aside from lifestyle choices, the best test to determine future risk of a heart attack is a coronary artery calcium score―commonly known as a heart scan. This test is offered at Ridgeview’s Waconia and Chaska Campus hospitals. Dr. Miedema recommends anyone in their 40s to 60s who has concerns about their cardiovascular risk should have this test. Scheduling an appointment is easy with no referral required.
Seeing your primary care provider for regular wellness visits is important for maintaining your health and preventing future risks. Stay on top of your health by scheduling your annual wellness visit today.
