Panic AttacksMedical Author:
Roxanne Dryden-Edwards, MD
![]() Roxanne Dryden-Edwards, MDDr. Roxanne Dryden-Edwards is an adult, child, and adolescent psychiatrist. She is a former Chair of the Committee on Developmental Disabilities for the American Psychiatric Association, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, and Medical Director of the National Center for Children and Families in Bethesda, Maryland. Medical Editor:
Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor
![]() Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical EditorMelissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.
Panic Attacks OverviewPanic attacks are frightening but fortunately physically harmless episodes. They can occur at random or after a person is exposed to various events that may "trigger" a panic attack. They peak in intensity very rapidly and go away with or without medical help.
Some people may experience other associated physical symptoms. For example, they may begin breathing very rapidly and complain that they have palpitations, in that their "hearts are jumping around in their chest." Then, within about an hour, the symptoms fade away. Viewer Comments & ReviewsPanic Attack - SymptomsThe eMedicineHealth physician editors ask:What are your panic attack symptoms? Panic Attacks - Effective TreatmentsThe eMedicineHealth physician editors ask:What kinds of treatments have been effective for your panic attacks? |
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Panic Attacks
Hyperventilation Overview
Hyperventilation is breathing in excess of what the body needs. This is sometimes called overbreathing. Rapid or deep breathing is sometimes seen in very serious conditions such as infection, bleeding, or heart attack.
Hyperventilation syndrome is more specific and relates to an overbreathing pattern that happens under certain conditions. This overbreathing results in a group of symptoms.
Although hyperventilation syndrome may seem very similar to panic attacks, the two disorders are different.
- People with panic disorder often have emotional complaints (for example, fear of death or closed-in spaces) that accompany attacks.
- If a person has hyperventilation syndrome, however, he or she will have certain symptoms without these emotional complaints (although the person still may be anxious).
Hyperventilation Causes
The cause or causes of hyperventilation syndrome ar...
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Panic Disorder »
Panic disorder is characterized by the spontaneous and unexpected occurrence of panic attacks, the frequency of which can vary from several attacks a day to only a few attacks a year.
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