Can an Anxiety Attack Cause Heart Problems?

The symptoms of an anxiety attack include racing heart, chest pains, shortness of breath, cold sweats, and light-headedness. The symptoms of a heart attack include chest pains, shortness of breath, cold sweats and light-headedness. There are additional symptoms that distinguish the two occurrences from each other, but given the significant overlap in symptoms it is hardly surprising that people having an anxiety attack often think they are having a heart attack. Does the overlap in symptoms indicate some link between anxiety attacks and heart problems? Can anxiety attacks or an anxiety disorder cause heart problems? Well, yes, anxiety attacks or an anxiety disorder can cause heart problems.

People who suffer from anxiety attacks will tell you that they are frightening or embarrassing or frustrating, and they will probably tell you that they are stressful. They perhaps are referring to emotional stress, but anxiety attacks are very physically stressful, too. Stress is the link to heart problems caused by anxiety attacks because of the close association stress, both physical and emotional, has with other heart problems.

Sudden stress, such as that stemming from an anxiety attack, triggers what is known as the “fight or flight” response. The onset of the response is associated with specific physiological processes including the release of adrenaline. The adrenaline, along with other hormones released into the bloodstream, facilitates certain physical reactions including increases in heart and respiratory rate. Essentially, the body is trying to get oxygen and fats in the blood to parts of the body that need to react at an elevated level, so the heart pumps more blood, faster. This increased cardiovascular activity can cause a heart attack.

It is not just sudden stress that can cause heart problems, however. Constant low-level stress caused by coping and living with an anxiety attack disorder can also cause heart problems. Enduring stress, even if not severe, can lead to high blood pressure. High blood pressure makes the heart work harder to pump blood, causing it to wear out prematurely.

Anxiety attacks are also closely related to (but not the cause of) a condition called mitral valve prolapse or MVP. Mitral valve prolapse is an abnormality in the structure of one of the chambers of the heart. It restricts blood flow to the heart and manifests itself with symptoms similar to that of a heart attack. It is not entirely clear how the two conditions are related, but if you suffer from anxiety attacks, you may also be more likely to have this or other congenital heart problems.

The usual forms of treatment used to control anxiety attacks – medicine and therapy – should help to control the stress that causes heart attacks. As well, it may help sufferers of anxiety attacks to develop a cardiovascular workout regimen – strengthening the heart muscle can help it better handle the strain of anxiety-induced stress.