does panic attacks raise your blood pressure?
does panic attacks raise your blood pressure?
I have had anxiety for 30 some years...it started when I was 6 years old and my brother died...my mother kind of locked herself up in her room for 2-3 years and cried and my father worked hours on end just to keep his mind busy...I never really learned how to deal with stress....I remember vomiting every day in 1st grade...went on some green medicine...by grade 2 I seemed to be fine and went off the medicine....I was pretty much fine until my senior year in high school except for my occational thoughts of something being wrong with me health wise...always was afraid id catch or get everything others had..in my senior year panic attacks came on full force....i couldnt decide what i wanted to do with my life ...mom took me to talk to a psycologist....he didnt help ...said i had pts.....again after deciding what i wanted to do with my life i some how managed to get better...then came my marrige break up and the panic attacks full force again....again with my children keeping my mind busy as a single mom i got myself through life without anyone knowing my tourment inside....ond that brings me to the here and now...the worst panic ive ever had...my daughter just got engaged to a man im not to sure of and shes moved out...my son is a senior in high school and will be leaving soon also...i have to sell my home and i just got told my job is letting me go on aug 31...I went for a yearly womens ck up and was told my blood pressure was high...i believe it is due to White coat syndrome which i have had since the death of my brother....any way i bought a blood pressure cuff and begain to chart my own blood pressure because i dont want to go on blood pressure meds...its always normal at home in the morning and after i run or jog, it gets a little elevated when im at work but comes right back down when i get home...and then it spikes real high when i have a panic attack....i feel like such a baby...im taking my bp constantly....and now im getting afraid to take it myself cuz im afraid it will be high...but if i do the relaxation tape and then ck it it comes down low...so im afraid to go on med cuz im afraid it will go to low...im so confused...have a doc appointment sep 9th to discuse this with my regular doc but am afraid to go....am i nuts?....has anyone else ever been like this?....the only thing that helps lately is my nightly glass of wine....and i dont want that to become a problem too....please respond if you have any idea if panic and anxiety raise your BP......scared in NY....tammy
Re: does panic attacks raise your blood pressure?
I am no doctor but I was told it can, temporarily. I too have been doing the same thing lately. You have to let your doctor know all that you stated in your post. My guess is they may not want to put you on blood pressure meds until they do a more thorough work up. 
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peaceandjoy7
- Posts: 29
- Joined: Wed Nov 26, 2008 8:55 pm
Re: does panic attacks raise your blood pressure?
Hi Twinny,
Unfortunately, anytime you have an anxiety attack your heart is working harder to pump blood because you are in fight or flight mode. In ancient times this is what helped protect us from wild animals. We could either stay and fight or run as fast as we could. To accomplish this the heart has to work harder to pump the blood to our hands and feet to be able to run, that is why it feels like our heart is beating out of our chest. Try not to think of the blood pressure too much when you do have an attack. Try breathing in for two out for four. I realize this is hard because I have them all the time too. I have to take adavan when I have one because they are so bad. Also, a therapist told me once as weird as this sounds that if you are having one you can stick ice under your arm pit and because it is so cold it will divert your attention from the attack you are having. I tried it and it works. Another thing to is that as long as your blood pressure is not high all the time it should be fine. Our bodies are made to withstand pressure. It is when your blood pressure is continually high that it is worrisome.
Unfortunately, anytime you have an anxiety attack your heart is working harder to pump blood because you are in fight or flight mode. In ancient times this is what helped protect us from wild animals. We could either stay and fight or run as fast as we could. To accomplish this the heart has to work harder to pump the blood to our hands and feet to be able to run, that is why it feels like our heart is beating out of our chest. Try not to think of the blood pressure too much when you do have an attack. Try breathing in for two out for four. I realize this is hard because I have them all the time too. I have to take adavan when I have one because they are so bad. Also, a therapist told me once as weird as this sounds that if you are having one you can stick ice under your arm pit and because it is so cold it will divert your attention from the attack you are having. I tried it and it works. Another thing to is that as long as your blood pressure is not high all the time it should be fine. Our bodies are made to withstand pressure. It is when your blood pressure is continually high that it is worrisome.
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shannluv28
- Posts: 6
- Joined: Tue Feb 14, 2012 10:10 pm
Re: does panic attacks raise your blood pressure?
It certainly can! I have low blood pressure most of the time, but when I have really bad anxiety or a panic attack it does get really high. It gets especially high when I have to go to the doctor's office =)