Panic Attacks and Panic Disorder
When To Call a Doctor
Call your health professional if you experience:
- Attacks of intense fear or anxiety that seem to come on without a reason.
- A panic attack or worry that you will have another one and your worrying interferes with your ability to do your daily activities.
- Occasional physical symptoms (such as shortness of breath and chest pain) and you are not sure what is causing them.
Watchful Waiting
It can be difficult to tell the difference between the symptoms of a panic attack (such as shortness of breath and chest pain) and the symptoms of a heart attack or another serious medical problem. If you have symptoms of a panic attack, you should seek immediate medical care so that other medical conditions can be ruled out.
Who To See
Your family doctor or general practitioner or an emergency medicine specialist can diagnose panic attacks. For treatment of panic attacks and panic disorder you may be referred to a specialist, such as a:
Many community mental health centres, hospital outpatient clinics, and family service agencies have treatment programs for people with panic disorder.
To prepare for your appointment, see the topic Making the Most of Your Appointment
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| Author: | Douglas Dana Sabra L. Katz-Wise Ralph Poore | Last Updated: January 11, 2007 |
| Medical Review: | Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine Andrew Swan, MD, CCFP, FCFP - Family Medicine Lisa S. Weinstock, MD - Psychiatry | |
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