Is there a specific medical meaning of panic attack?

Yes: A panic attack involves the sudden onset of intense physical and cognitive symptoms of anxiety, such as rapid heart rate, sweaty palms, rapid breathing, dizziness, and a sense of impending doom.

Yes and no: The ''yes'' is the description of the individual's subjective response of an overwhelming, acute sense of anxiety. The precipitant-vs. Cause-is social or more to the cause, interpersonal. Tho the''quick tx.'' is several week(s) of the ssri now available in generic form. Try paroxetine first. Do explain the noisome side effects. Ptht. Rel. Imp. If a switch to 2nd ssri, look to dev. Factor.