Q: I was enjoying a casual dinner the other night, when all of a sudden my
heart started racing. I broke out in a cold sweat and I was shaking, dizzy and
short of breath. It was really scary - I thought I was having a heart attack!
But a trip to the emergency room found nothing wrong with my heart. A friend
suggested it might have been a panic attack - could she be right, and if so,
how do I stop them?
Dr. Donnica: While this certainly could have been a panic
attack, this is what's called a "diagnosis of exclusion." That means
that since there's no specific diagnostic test, we first have to make sure your
symptoms were not caused by something else before we attribute them to your
first panic attack. The good news is that your emergency room check-up went
well. But you could have had a run of an "arrhythmia" (irregular heartbeat)
with palpitations or a vasospasm (a spasm of the large blood vessels that supply
the heart). You also could have had an allergic type reaction to something in
According to the American Psychiatric Association (www.apa.org),
a panic attack is a sudden surge of overwhelming fear that comes without warning
and without any obvious reason. They seem to occur in harmless situations and
can even occur during sleep.
- Racing heartbeat
- Difficulty breathing or feeling as though you 'can't get enough air'
- Terror that is almost paralyzing
- Dizziness, lightheadedness or nausea
- Trembling, sweating, shaking
- Choking sensation or chest pains
- Hot flashes or sudden chills
- Tingling in fingers or toes ('pins and needles')
- Fear that you're going crazy, are about to die, or that you sense impending
While a panic attack is not dangerous, it can be terrifying. They can occur
rarely or recur frequently. If you become afraid of having future panic
attacks, it is then time to consult a mental health professional.
Click here for more information about depression or other mental
Created: 5/16/2003  - Donnica Moore, M.D.