{"id":7998,"date":"2026-04-18T19:24:59","date_gmt":"2026-04-18T19:24:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/?p=7998"},"modified":"2026-04-18T19:24:59","modified_gmt":"2026-04-18T19:24:59","slug":"the-fatal-heart-attack-symptoms-that-are-often-dismissed-as-panic-or-anxiety-how-to-tell-the-difference-before-its-too-late","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/?p=7998","title":{"rendered":"The fatal heart attack symptoms that are often dismissed as panic or anxiety… how to tell the difference before it’s too late"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Chest aching. Racing heart. Shortness of breath. Dread. These symptoms could be signs of a non-life-threatening panic attack, or they could indicate a deadly heart attack.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The two medical conditions share a frighteningly similar playbook, but confusing them could cost you precious time.<\/p>\n

Roughly a quarter of people arriving to the emergency department with those symptoms, believing they are experiencing a deadly heart attack, are actually suffering from a severe anxiety attack.\u00a0<\/p>\n

But the reverse is also true. Many people, especially women who are more likely to experience atypical symptoms, are misdiagnosed by doctors who tell them their symptoms are just anxiety. This mistake can be fatal.\u00a0<\/p>\n

‘Panic attack symptoms and heart attack symptoms overlap so significantly that even ER physicians often can’t tell them apart without medical testing,’\u00a0Kiki Fehling, a licensed psychologist based in Massachusetts<\/a>, told the Daily Mail.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The chest discomfort from a panic attack<\/a> tends to be sharp, stabbing or fleeting, and it usually stays confined to a small area. It hits suddenly, often with little warning, due to stress, fear or racing thoughts. Your hands may get clammy, your limbs may tremble, and the pain is typically short-lived, lasting just a few minutes.<\/p>\n

A heart attack feels different<\/a>. The pain is pressure or squeezing \u2014 many describe it as an elephant sitting on their chest. It often radiates outward, spreading through the chest and around to the back, up the jaw, and down one or both arms.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Heart attacks may follow days of subtle warning signs like unusual fatigue or indigestion. They are often triggered by physical exertion, sudden anger or distressing news. The pain persists or comes in waves, with shortness of breath, cold sweats, nausea, and lightheadedness.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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\"Panic <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Panic attack chest pain is often sharp, stabbing, or brief, confined to a small area. It strikes suddenly \u2014 triggered by stress, fear or racing thoughts \u2014 and usually lasts only a few minutes, often with clammy hands and trembling limbs (stock)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n