Can anxiety/panic attacks increase Blood Pressure reading?

Question:

For the entire month of September and into October, I experienced Anxiety on almost a daily basis, and panic attacks about 3-4 times per week. Prior to taking my Blood Pressure, I freaked out, my heart was racing, and I was really nervous. My Blood pressure read 165/86. Does a panic attack/anxiety increase or distort the Blood Pressure reading? Other than anxiety, I'm pretty healthy. I don't eat meat, only fish. And I'm not really overweight (10-15 lbs at the most), and I've never had a history of High Blood Pressure. Every time before the month of september, my blood pressure was normal. Is it reading high because I freak out and panic now when I take a blood pressure reading? By how many points can freaking out and panicking raise the reading?

Answers:
Anxiety / panic attacks by their very nature increase the heart rate - this will effect the reading if you took your blood pressure at that time. Stress can contribute to high blood pressure. High blood pressure can be caused by a number of reasons, the most common include genetic factors, obesity, smoking, alcohol and prolonged stress.

Panic attacks can happen anywhere and at anytime. Symptoms include several of the following:

dizziness or feeling faint,
palpitations, increased heart rate,
sweating, trembling or shaking,
difficulty breathing,
feeling of choking or nausea,
chest pain,
numbness or tingling sensations,
chills or hot flushes,
feelings of unreality and detachment,
fear of losing control,
fear of dying, and
a sense of great danger and an urge to escape.

The symptoms of a panic attack can last anywhere from several seconds to about ten minutes. Occasionally the symptoms come in 'waves' for up to 2 hours.

I know it is easy to say than do, but try not to think too much about 'being stressed' as this can cause anxiety/panic attacks and lead to high blood pressure. Try to look at the cause of stress (stressors) and see if you can eliminate them. If you haven't already contact your local GP - I'm sure your doctor would be able to advise you properly. In some cases you may be referred to CMHT, community mental health team who will be able to give you expert advice, guidance and support.

Good luck and good health. Just remember you are not alone, one in four people in this country suffer from a mental illness at some time in their lives and stress related illnesses are ranked the highest.

Yes..
Anxiety / panic attacks increase blood pressure..

yes a panic attack makes it worse if you are not on medication for this I suggest you go to your doctor. I have them to and it will affect your bp hope you feel better soon

Anxiety can definitely increase your BP. Are you taking any medication for anxiety? Maybe you should talk with your doctor and see if you can find a medication to take during the high anxiety periods so you won't experience the physical effects as much. You definitely don't want your BP to get too high -- can have bad effects on your body such as Heart Attack or Stroke!

Yes anxiety can affect the blood pressure and make the reading higher. Fear, anxiety, panic can all make the pressure higher. I have a low blood pressure yet when I am on the exam table at the doctors office my pressure is high its called white coat syndrome. I'm a nurse and work with doctors all the time. I don't have any fear of my doctor in fact he is a friend yet my pressure goes up. The doctor now takes my pressure at the end of the visit to get a normal reading. It can raise the numbers quite a bit I usually am 120/76 at the doctors I am 180/100. You could get a personal cuff and test your own BP daily when you are calm and get a real good idea what your normal pressure is.

panic can raise the blood pressure reading but only for short time, because panic let adrenaline hormone raise in blood which inturn increase heart beats rate and this lead to increase in blood pressure

Can anxiety/panic attacks increase Blood Pressure reading?

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