A 40-year-old member asked:
can panic attack cause cardiac arrest?
3 doctor answers • 9 doctors weighed in
Dr. Yash Khanna answered
Family Medicine 57 years experience
NOT REALLY: No but has it has been described by many of my patients it may feel like to some at some times when they feel heart pacing, chest pain and difficulty to breathe
but it does not cause cardiac arrest.
5674 viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Kevin Passer answered
Child Psychiatry 35 years experience
No: Unless, i suppose a person is elderly and debilitated with chronic heart disease and heart failure who could not tolerate an elevated heart rate. With that being said, it is quite common for someone to go to an emergency department thinking they are having a heart attack. They are told their heart is fine, it was a panic attack for which treatments are available. I would avoid xanax (alprazolam) if possible.
5648 viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Alan Ali answered
Psychiatry 32 years experience
Panic & heart: Not likely, unless the cause is another factor already present in heart.
5632 viewsReviewed >2 years ago
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Boynton Beach, FL
A 19-year-old female asked:
Is it possible to go into cardiac arrest from panic attacks ?
1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in
Dr. Ira Friedlander answered
Cardiac Electrophysiology 42 years experience
There are diseases: that are induced or affected by catecholamine release in the body. Catecholaminergic ventricular tachycardia would be one that could result in cardiac arrest. Panic attacks can result in elevated catecholamine levels so the answer is yes.
860 viewsReviewed >2 years ago
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Last updated Oct 3, 2016
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