can you die from a panic attack?

The question is far from secondary, if we consider that the fear of death is a central symptom of psychological panic in the attack itself and that those affected at that time feels to be in serious danger of death.

In general the answer is NO, since it does not appear in the literature that anyone has ever died from a panic attack, but you can not deny that those hit several times, and for some time to panic attacks is exposed to serious risks health, due to the effects of the hormones that the body produces in that situation, such as tachycardia, vasoconstriction and blood pressure fluctuations.
When the body produces a panic reaction responds to an unconscious psychic stimulus by secreting hormones including adrenaline / epinephrine, norepinephrine and cortisol, which are necessary to prepare the body to the flight reaction: if I'm at risk of dying my reaction will be obviously to get away and put away to protect my life, and I need to get away from certain physical conditions which enable me to do it. The hormones produced by the body at that time are there to make the flight because it can increase the heart rate, blocking the digestive processes, increase the blood supply to the muscles by optimizing the use of mental and physical resources in order to facilitate the removal of the danger .

The risk of death increases theoretically over time and with the recurrence of panic, which literally permeate the body of stress hormones (cortisol and adrenaline) if anxiety is intense and frequent attacks - scenario that realized especially when the person does nothing to cure and the symptoms obviously does not regress permanently alone, but tends to worsen.
To produce the same effects in the body the amount of hormones produced attack after attack increases over time, because the body becomes more sensitive and needs a greater incentive to produce the same effect: from here can result in a serious risk to health, the because expose the blood vessels and internal organs in a continuous impregnation of adrenaline and cortisol alters the physiology in the long run - especially if the subject is not in perfect physical health - can cause disorders and physical illnesses such as heart attack, stroke, gastric and duodenal ulcer, cancer, as well as other non-hazardous physical symptoms for survival (see).
Consequently it is true that you do not die for the single panic attack, it is also true that over time the entire organism suffers of chronic stress that anxiety produces and effect of adrenaline and cortisol, increasing the risk of illness and death.
A good psychotherapy that addresses the root problem allows you to also prevent physical ailments that may ensue.

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Diagnostic Criteria for Panic Attacks according to DSM IV

A discrete period of intense fear or discomfort, in which four (or more) of the following symptoms developed abruptly and reached a peak within 10 minutes:

- Palpitations, pounding heart, or accelerated heart rate;
- Sweating;
- Tremors fine or a big shock;
- Wheezing or choking feeling;
- Feeling of choking;
- Pain or discomfort in the chest;
- Nausea or abdominal discomfort;
- Feeling dizzy, unsteady, light-headed or fainting;
- Derealization (feelings of unreality) or depersonalization (being detached from oneself);
- Fear of losing control or going crazy;
- Afraid of dying;
- Paresthesias (numbness or tingling sensations);
- Chills or hot flushes.


The essential feature is a discrete period of intense fear or discomfort accompanied by at least four somatic or cognitive symptoms of 13. The attack has a sudden onset, rapidly reaches its peak (usually 10 minutes) and is often accompanied by a sense danger or impending doom.

Individuals seeking care for unexpected panic attacks usually describe the fear as intense and report that they thought they were about to die, to lose control of having a myocardial infarction, going crazy. They also report the desire to escape from the place where the attack is occurring.

Dyspnea is a common symptom in the attacks associated with panic disorder with and without agoraphobia. And 'common blush during panic attacks situational anxiety related social or performance.

The anxiety characteristic can be differentiated from generalized anxiety by its intermittent nature, almost paroxysmal and severity typically greater. It 'important to consider the context in which it occurs the attack.

There are three types of attacks characteristic with different relationships between the onset of the attack and the presence or absence of situational factors triggered:

- Unexpected panic attacks in which the onset is not associated with a trigger situational;

- Panic attacks caused by the situation (caused) in which the attack almost invariably occurs immediately during the exhibition or in expectation of the stimulus or trigger situational;

- Panic attacks sensitive to the situation, who are more likely to occur following exposure to the stimulus or situational factor unleashed, but they are invariably associated with the stimulus and necessarily occur immediately after exposure.

For diagnosis it required the occurrence of unexpected attacks.

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