When you should see a doctor for treatment "Isolated panic attacks are not dangerous," Merrill says. The danger comes when people change their behaviors in hopes of avoiding another panic attack.

So worry can turn into panic symptoms. If we start to fear the recurrence of panic, that can be panic disorder ... that's a good time to get treatment.

Though no one should ever ignore heart attack symptoms or assume one is having a panic attack instead, thousands of people each year share this man's experience. These attacks are a symptom of ...