Similarities in symptoms of both anxiety attack and heart attack include shortness of breath, chest pain, dizziness, vertigo, numbness in the extremities, sweating, fainting, trembling, and possibly the feeling of impending death. If you take a closer look however, there are distinguishable differences.
Heart attack is commonly characterized by uncomfortable pressure, fullness or squeezing pain in the center of the chest, or prolonged pain in the upper abdomen. The discomfort or pain can spread to the shoulders, neck, jaw, teeth, or arms. It can also cause shortness of breath, lightheadedness, dizziness, fainting, sweating, nausea. Vomiting is also a common symptom. Some describe the pressure felt during a heart attack as heavy weights placed upon the chest.