Question

A young woman presents to the emergency room with complaints of palpitations, sweating, shortness of breath, chest pain, and nausea. She thinks that she is having a heart attack. Electrocardiogram (ECG) reveals normal sinus rhythm with no ischemic changes. Cardiac enzymes are not elevated. Given her symptoms, an alternative diagnosis would be:

A. Manic episode
B. Myxedema madness
C. Mad Hatter syndrome
D. Psychotic disorder not otherwise specified (NOS)
E. Panic attack

Answer 1

A young woman with normal ECG and cardiac enzyme levels presenting with palpitations and chest pain could be diagnosed with a Panic attack, rather than an acute myocardial infarction or other psychiatric conditions.

Step-by-step explanation:

Given her symptoms and the normal ECG and cardiac enzymes results, an alternative diagnosis for the young woman presenting with palpitations, sweating, shortness of breath, chest pain, and nausea could be a Panic attack (choice E). It is important for healthcare providers to recognize that while these symptoms can mimic an acute myocardial infarction (MI), they can also be indicative of a panic attack. The absence of ischemic changes on the ECG and normal cardiac enzyme levels help to rule out acute MI as the cause for her symptoms. Other conditions such as manic episode, myxedema madness, Mad Hatter syndrome, or psychotic disorder not otherwise specified (NOS) are not generally associated with this constellation of physical symptoms.