Panic attack or heart attack in the Emergency Room?
September 09, 2009How does the ER know which is which? Are they supposed to run certain tests or something?
Convinced I would either faint or die, I made it to the ER with my symptoms; tingling right arm, sick to my stomach, couldn’t breathe, heart racing so much you could SEE it through my shirt, dizzy, disoriented, weak legs, could barely walk or talk. I stopped and sat on the floor while waiting for an attendant.
My usual 120/70 blood pressure was measured at 159/90.
No tests were taken.
I was sent home with a diagnosis of panic attack and some "mellow you out" pills.
Does that sound like the proper methods and treatment?
If so then cool; I just thought they were supposed to run tests or something, not telepathically diagnose you. I mean, what’s all that equipment for? Isn’t this supposed to be a science, not a "fortune telling" session? Just because I don’t normally have high blood pressure doesn’t mean I don’t have plaque or something else going on. And the best time to catch something is during the occurrence, right?
Just wondering.
This kind of thinking is precisely why the health costs have gone up so dramatically, and why it will bankrupt this country. A good doctor only uses lab or other tests to confirm what they are already thinking. Fully 85% of all diagnoses should be made by taking a good history and physical exam.
A good doctor is part scientist, but mostly good at the art of practicing medicine. You can’t walk in and demand such and such test or such and such drug that you saw advertised on TV, although too many doctors are buckling to that kind of pressure.
September 9th, 2009 at 6:27 pm
they must have been sure,or they would have done a test on your heart.if you had heart attack symptoms you would have been in severe pain in your chest.high blood pressure and a racing heartbeat is a good sign of stress
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September 9th, 2009 at 7:12 pm
That sounds pretty normal with a panic attack. If it were a heart attack your left side would be hurting, not your right. I’ve had a panic attack before and had those symtoms. They probably knew what they were doing, and if tests needed to be run, they would run them. I wouldn’t worry, and if you don’t feel comfortable with their diagnosis, go to your family doctor, not your ER.
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September 9th, 2009 at 7:19 pm
Doctors can distinguish by a number of signs and symptoms and if they have reason to suspect you have one, they go on to further testing.
A heart attack will show up on an ECG and in blood tests.
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September 9th, 2009 at 7:55 pm
More than likely it was a panic attack
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September 9th, 2009 at 8:31 pm
I’ve seen doctors that diagnosed me without running a single test. I had really bad stomach cramps everyday (horrible pain) that just keep getting worse and loose stools everyday. I thought for sure something was wrong that needed some test but the doctor just talked to me for about 10minz and said I had GERD so I after I took Prilosec for a couple days all my symptoms went away so I guess the doc knew what he was talking about.
Sounds like what you had could have been a panic attack you should look up heart attacks and panic attacks and read up on it to help you understand you symptoms better,
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September 9th, 2009 at 9:12 pm
It doesn’t take telepathy, just a good knowledge base and statistical analysis. The great majority of the information comes from the history, a small amount from the physical exam, and only a tiny portion from tests. It isn’t always easy to tell the difference between a panic attack and a heart attack, but most of the time it’s pretty straightforward. And you’re right: you might have some plaque in a coronary artery, since most middle-aged people do, but it wasn’t causing you problems at the time.
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September 9th, 2009 at 9:44 pm
This kind of thinking is precisely why the health costs have gone up so dramatically, and why it will bankrupt this country. A good doctor only uses lab or other tests to confirm what they are already thinking. Fully 85% of all diagnoses should be made by taking a good history and physical exam.
A good doctor is part scientist, but mostly good at the art of practicing medicine. You can’t walk in and demand such and such test or such and such drug that you saw advertised on TV, although too many doctors are buckling to that kind of pressure.
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Glad I am a pathologist
September 9th, 2009 at 10:10 pm
Your symptoms were really not consistent with a heart problem.
It is a truism of medicine that, if you listen long enough and ask the right questions, the patient will TELL you what the problem is; the physical exam is almost always a confirmation of what one suspects from the history – and lab and other tests are definitely only confirmatory. Given your personal history and the pattern of symptoms and signs you exhibited, the emergency room physician came up with a rank-ordered list of possible diagnoses (a "differential diagnosis"). (Most doctors do this subconsciously/instinctively after completing their training.) A cardiac problem was far enough down on the list not to merit further investigation.
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I’m a physician.
September 9th, 2009 at 10:45 pm
Stress is the chief cause of most anxiety, panic and social phobias. But stress is not just about feeling tense and wired. It’s about the triggering of our hard-wired "Fight or Flight Response." And it’s about the release of toxic hormones — drip, drip drip — into our system. These hormones seep into our blood and tissues where, over time, they set up conditions for "attacks" of fear, anxiety and panic.
Suffering from panic attacks can complicate your life and make many things much more difficult. Panic disorders are much more common than many people imagine. How can you find the best treatments for panic attacks which really work and treat the condition?
What is a Panic Attack?
Panic attacks are caused because your body thinks that it should be afraid of something. Even if there is no logical reason to be afraid of the situation many people often are. This high anxiety will make you experience lots of symptoms including:
- Feeling Dizzy – Chest feeling tight – Tingling sensations in extremities – Racing heart beat – Worrying obsessively – Fear of Anxiety – Feeling distanced from the world around you
Curing Panic Attacks
The symptoms above are just a small selection. If you think that you might be suffering from anxiety disorders then you should visit your doctor for a diagnosis. Your doctor will be able to suggest possible treatments for panic attacks.
They will normally suggest using medications. The trouble with these medications is that they treat the symptoms but do nothing to treat the underlying causes of the condition. This manes that it’s very easy for the condition to come back if you stop taking the medication.
Natural Treatments
If you are looking for a permanent cure then you will find lots of useful information on the internet about natural cures. These natural treatments have helped millions of people even though they are not as popular as prescription medications.
Relaxation techniques such as massage therapy and simply taking up something that you enjoy. A hobby will be a great way of relieving anxiety and making you feel much better.
Herbal treatments can also be used to treat anxiety. Herbs like passion flower can be taken in pill form or as a tea. These herbs have many of the same benefits as the prescription medications. They are fast acting for example. They do have one major advantage and that’s because they don’t make you suffer from any side effects.
There are many treatments for panic attacks. Make sure you discuss your treatment options with your doctor.
Do you want to find out more about treatments for panic attacks? Then you should research anxiety management.
Do you want to find that cure?
Do you struggle with panic attacks?
Do you want them to stop so you can live a normal life again?
Well, there is a cure and you can stop your panic attacks now!
I had came across many pp get treated "PANIC ATTACKS"
even for many years & even without taking medicines.
U might want to consider this : http://tinyurl.com/kjhkbs
God bless & Take care
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http://tinyurl.com/kjhkbs
September 9th, 2009 at 11:07 pm
here is my share, hope it will help you to know more about panic attack…
What are panic attacks? Why do they occur?
Everyone in life has some type of fear and overtime, some start to notice that it’s constant every time a weird entity enters there thoughts. That’s when the big question pops up, “what are panic attacks?” Well, here’s the answer to your underlying question. Panic attacks go through a discrete period of intense anxiety, are very sudden, fear, mounting physiological arousal, stomach problems that are associated with a variety of cognitive and somatic symptoms, which can be very discomforting. These onset episodes may have no triggers and are typically abrupt.
Even though these episodes occur randomly, they are subsets commonly referred to as fight or flight which is an evolutionary response that can occur out of context. Hormones and epinephrine (adrenaline) flood the body, which aids in defending the body against harm. It is said that the experience of a panic attack is one of the most intense, frightening, upsetting, and uncomfortable experiences in a person’s life.
The symptoms of an attack commonly last for about thirty minutes, according to the American Psychological Association (APA). Panic attacks can also be as short as 15 seconds on the other hand, attacks can last for extended periods of time, they can form a cyclic series of episodes which can last for hours. In situations where attacks have been previously occurring, often those that are afflicted will experience anticipatory anxiety significantly and in between attacks they will have limited symptom attacks.
Commonly, panic attacks are link to what is called agoraphobia, the fear of not being able to get out of a bad situation. Many who have these attacks experience feelings like they are unable to free themselves, basically feeling trapped. From person to person the effect of the attack varies. First time sufferers may call emergency services for assistance because they probably did not think about the big question, “what are panic attacks?” If you are a first time sufferer you may feel as though you are having a nervous break down or a heart attack. So, before calling for assistance try to gain as much knowledge as you can about panic attacks and what causes them. Knowing this will empower you and can possibly help you or someone you love.
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