Questions posted in the
Heart Forum have been answered by doctors from The Cleveland Clinic Foundation.
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Subject: Re: PSVT or Panic Attack I am a 52 year old female and have recently been diagnosed with PSVT after a visit to the ER with a heart rate of 210bpm. Since the age of 28 I have experienced what I thought were panic attacks and have been on meds for anxiety since 1993. When I was diagnosed with PSVT I found out that this condition was commonly misdiagnosed as panic disorder. The symptoms for both seem to be the same. For example: palpations, rapid pulse, anxiety(feeling of impending doom), shortness of breath and chest tightness. Now I am left wondering just how much of what I have experienced in the past years as panic attacks have actually been the PSVT. I am taking toprol for the tachycardia but It makes me sleepy and sluggish and I still have an occasional daily flutter. I have seen a EP specialist and am considering RV ablation. I admit that I am terrified of the prospects of a 2-6 hour procedure. I am open to any suggestions or recommendations. In recent years what I believed to be, the panic/anxiety disorder, has become more disrupted. If I thought that even 25% of the so-called panic attacks were actually a PSVT episode I would have the ablation done tomorrow. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thak you for your question. I'm not sure if there is a definate way to sort out if all of your episodes have been due to PSVT or if you also have panic attacks. I doubt you would have significant symptoms with a heart rate of only 120 but it is possible. You might consider having the ablation and then if the symptoms continue have further evaluation for treatment of panic disorder I hope you find this information useful. Information provided in the heart forum is for general purposes only. Only your physician can provide specific diagnoses and therapies. Please feel free to write back with additional questions. If you would like to make an appointment at the Cleveland Clinic Heart Center, please call 1-800-CCF-CARE or inquire online by using the Heart Center website at www.ccf.org/heartcenter. The Heart Center website contains a directory of the cardiology staff that can be used to select the physician best suited to address your cardiac problem.
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