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Suffering From Anxiety. Have Normal Blood Pressure. Will It Cause Any Heart Damage?
Question: I get so concerned that my anxiety is causing my heart to get damaged. I have had tests in the past and have been told my heart is healthy (this was almost 2 years ago though) and I have so many panic attacks that I am scared I am permanently hurting my heart. What is the likelihood of this? I have normal blood pressure. This anxiety condition has been severe for the past 3 years. I am getting treatment but it is going slowly.
Hello,
Thanks for your query.
I appreciate your efforts for medical consultation in so much distress.
It is important to know that patient usually have following symptoms (mimicking cardiac symptoms) during anxiety: Increase heart rate, palpitation, sinking feeling in chest, chest pain and fluctuation in BP.
Severity of symptoms also increases with intensity of anxiety like during panic attack some patient used to fear that their heart or chest will burst.
But in long term anxiety affect heart only due to fluctuation in BP.
Other symptoms of anxiety which may or may not be present in your case: nervousness, restlessness, mild irritability, excessive worry regarding own health, tremor, muscle spasm, heaviness in body, easy fatigability, headache, sleep disturbance, palpitation and dry mouth.
Following steps and measures will help you:
-Get opinion from psychiatrist as person life changes after management of anxiety. Now a days very effective treatment available for anxiety in form of medicines and psychotherapy (cognitive behavior therapy).
-Healthy diet: Milk and fruits in diet.
-Daily morning walk and breathing exercise.
I hope this information has been both informative and helpful for you.
Wish you good health.
Regards,
Thanks for your query.
I appreciate your efforts for medical consultation in so much distress.
It is important to know that patient usually have following symptoms (mimicking cardiac symptoms) during anxiety: Increase heart rate, palpitation, sinking feeling in chest, chest pain and fluctuation in BP.
Severity of symptoms also increases with intensity of anxiety like during panic attack some patient used to fear that their heart or chest will burst.
But in long term anxiety affect heart only due to fluctuation in BP.
Other symptoms of anxiety which may or may not be present in your case: nervousness, restlessness, mild irritability, excessive worry regarding own health, tremor, muscle spasm, heaviness in body, easy fatigability, headache, sleep disturbance, palpitation and dry mouth.
Following steps and measures will help you:
-Get opinion from psychiatrist as person life changes after management of anxiety. Now a days very effective treatment available for anxiety in form of medicines and psychotherapy (cognitive behavior therapy).
-Healthy diet: Milk and fruits in diet.
-Daily morning walk and breathing exercise.
I hope this information has been both informative and helpful for you.
Wish you good health.
Regards,
Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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