What is a “panic attack”?

  Panic disorder (also called acute anxiety disorder) is an anxiety state that manifests as recurrent and unpredictable panic attacks (acute intense panic attacks). During an attack the patient experiences intense fear and extreme physical distress. The presence of 4 or more of the following 13 symptoms, which culminate within 10 minutes, and no abnormal findings after cardiac and other examinations, can be diagnosed as this disease.  1, palpitations, rapid heartbeat or tachycardia; 2, sweating; 3, trembling or shaking; 4, feeling short of breath or a sense of suffocation; 5, feeling a sense of obstruction in the throat; 6, chest pain or chest discomfort; 7, nausea or abdominal discomfort; 8, dizziness, feeling unstable standing or sitting, head drifting, fainting; 9, a sense of unreality or fear of going crazy; 10, feeling out of control of self or fear of going crazy; 11, fear of Impending death; 12, abnormal sensations in various parts of the body, such as tingling, ant crawling, pins and needles; 13, chills or hot flashes.