Panics and heart attacks
One of the common fears in panic is that you are having a heart attack. This section looks at the difference between panic attacks and heart attacks.
As some of the signs of a panic attack are like those of a heart attack, e.g. chest pain, you can see why people can mix them up. If chest pain is frequent or long lasting, it is wise to seek medical advice. If you have a good reason to believe you are at risk of a heart attack, or you have any serious doubts about your chest pain, it is important to get yourself checked out. But if the doctor has ruled out any heart problem, it is less likely that further chest pain is caused by a heart attack. The table below looks at some of the main differences.
| Heart Attack | Panic Attack |
| Pain |
- May or not be present
- If present, you may have a crushing feeling (like someone standing on your chest)
- This pain is usually felt in the centre of your chest and may extend to the left arm, neck and back.
- Pain, if present, is not usually made worse by breathing or by pressing on the chest
- Pain, if present, is usually persistent and lasts longer than 5 - 10 minutes
|
- Any pain is usually described as 'sharp'
- The pain tends to be felt over the heart
- Pain is usually made worse by breathing in and out and pressing on the centre of the chest
- Pain usually disappears within about 5 - 10 minutes
|
| Tingling |
- Tingling, if present, is usually in the left arm
|
- Tingling is usually present all over the body
|
| Vomiting |
|
- You may feel sick but vomiting is less common
|
| Breathing |
- A heart attack does not cause you to breathe more quickly or too quickly (hyperventilation). Panic does. With a heart attack, you may feel a little short of breath.
|
- Breathing too quickly or too deeply (hyperventilation) is a very common panic response which comes before the panic attack
|
Adapted from the World Health Organisation (WHO) Guide to Mental Health in Primary Care (2000). Royal Society of Medicine Press.
