Your heart is racing, you’re out of breath, and you’re experiencing chest pain. Is it a heart attack or a panic attack? Because the two have similar symptoms, it is critical to understand how to distinguish between them in order to determine whether you should seek immediate medical attention.
“It might be tough to distinguish between heart attacks and panic attacks,” Rebecca Leibowitz, a physician’s assistant, tells Woman’s Day. “Many people who are having a panic attack believe they are having a heart attack.”
Men and women have different ways of distinguishing between a panic episode and a heart attack. While the symptoms of a panic attack are identical in both genders, the signs of a heart attack are quite different.
One of the most prevalent signs of a heart attack in women, for example, is difficulty catching one’s breath rather than strong chest discomfort. However, there are specific symptoms that distinguish between heart attacks and panic attacks in both men and women.
Read how to differenciate between the two on the next page.