Panic Attacks Linked to Heart Disease

The University of Adelaide has released research indicating a clear link between panic disorder and coronary disease, though the cause remains uncertain.
By suffering from panic disorder patients indicated an increased risk of heart disease by up to 47% and the risk of heart attack by 36%, however researchers said some heart conditions may have been initially misdiagnosed as panic disorders due to the primary symptoms of of panic attacks: racing heart and shortness of breath.
“This new data suggesting a link between panic disorders and coronary heart disease, underscores the importance of these patients seeking medical attention for their chest pain symptoms and not merely attributing them to their panic attacks,” says Professor Beltrame, an author on the paper.
“Furthermore if cardiac investigations reveal that the chest pain is due to an evolving heart attack, then early treatment may be lifesaving,” he says.
The research which was published in Psychological Medicine was carried out across 12 studies, involving more than 1 million people and approximately 58,000 coronary heart disease cases.