Panic Attacks Cause Death?

Do panic attacks cause death? Absolutely not! A panic attack is the abrupt onset of a period of intense fear or discomfort associated with the display of a number of symptoms and responses.

Some of the more notable symptoms are: palpitations, shortness of breath, chest pain, sweating, trembling, dizziness(lightheadedness), gastrointestinal distress and sensations of choking.

An attack as mentioned above usually has an abrupt onset, builds itself up to maximum intensity in about 10 to 15 minutes, and is over in around 30minutes. These experiences generally provoke in the individual a strong desire to escape or flee (the "fight-or-flight response") the place where the attack began. When associated with symptoms of palpitations, shortness of breath and/or chest pains, it is often mistaken for the onset of a heart attack and individuals often seek aid from hospital emergency rooms or other urgent care units.

Fight-or-Flight Response

Fight-or-flight is a response mode entered into by most animals, including humans, in the presence of acute stress. Whenever a threat (real or imagined) is perceived, there is an innate reaction in humans to survive: they are prepared to stand their ground and battle or simply flee, thus the term fight-or-flight. The characteristics of acute stress triggering fight-or-flight are very familiar to most of us: almost instantaneous cardiac output (surge in heart rate), sweating, heavy breathing, blood pressure changes.

Research has shown that amongst millions of neurotransmitters found within the brain, an imbalance in norepinephrine is linked to individuals who show physiological changes activated by stressful events and may be considered one of panic attacks cause, if not by far the most important one. However, research was unable to clearly determine whether the imbalance in norepinephrine is responsible for the onset of panic attacks or whether the attacks are what causes the imbalance.

Living With Panic Attacks

Individuals experiencing this condition (though resembling a heart attack) is not at risk of death. The disorder usually manifest itself during teenage to midlife with no reoccurrence over fifty and is usually treatable without the use of medication.