A blood pressure monitor can be your friend if you use it to lower blood pressure by concentrating on doing it with breathing exercises. And do not forget that High blood pressure can be a real thing even if it only happens once in a while or is caused by stress. Taking medication to keep it low can reduce the panic. Fast heart rate can be caused by to much salt too so it can happen on days when salt consumption is high. Not intending to scare anyone but High blood pressure can be a silent killer. I can feel it when it is above borderline but at 220/120 with a pulse of 140 it doesn't feel any worse in fact all I feel is agitation. It could kill me and I'd never know. Arthritis, diabetes, MS, even ALS kill you slow and can be controlled. Having a heart attack is like rolling the dice, the odds are against you.
Now having said this, with panic attack you usually only have higher pulse and it can be very fast with no damage and is nothing to be concerned with unless the panic attack is causing restricted blood vessels and causing high blood pressure. High blood pressure is a concern what ever the cause where as fast pulse is less of a concern unless it is consistent.
Normal blood pressure is below 149/90, this is borderline. pulse is supposed to be between 60 and 100 if blood pressure is 120/80 or lower. This information is available from your Doctor or off the internet. And he or she will tell you that any pain that radiates from your finger tips up your neck into your head could be a heart attack, no matter what the cause. That calls for a trip to the ER.
Better to error on the side of caution even if it is only a panic attack and I had some very fast pulse and some very scary moments when I used to have panic attacks. Who knows when or why I developed high blood pressure and needed medication, but then I am 63. My pulse right now resting is over 90 and it is no concern, I will just take my Beta Blocker.
There was a time when checking it would drive it up. Not any more.
Davit.
Ps, this is personal experience and not to be taken as Gospel, I leave that up to your Doctor.
