Can antidepressants help manage panic attacks?

Hello doctor,

I am a 33-year-old female, a mother of two children. I am healthy with no underlying health conditions, and there is no history of heart disease in my family except for my grandfather, who developed it due to smoking. I have been dealing with anxiety and experiencing panic attacks for years, although currently, I am not facing high levels of anxiety. Recently, I have observed that after engaging in activities like cleaning or playing with my children, if I sit or lay down, my heart rate, which is normally around 65 bpm, suddenly increases to approximately 125 to 130 bpm. I am currently taking Escitalopram 10 mg.

I typically feel this acceleration in my throat, causing a flutter sensation, and I tend to cough. As soon as I cough or clear my throat, my heart rate instantly returns to normal without any lingering fast pace. After researching online, I am concerned about non-sustained ventricular tachycardia (NSVT) or supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), but I am unsure how to determine which it might be.

If a Holter monitor does not capture the episode, I am uncertain about how to find out. These episodes occur a few times a month at most, lasting approximately two to three seconds each time. Should I be concerned and discuss this with my general practitioner, or could it be something hormonal and normal, given the quick resolution of the episodes? I am quite frightened at the prospect of undiagnosed VT or SVT, especially since I have never had any heart issues before in my life.

Please help.

Thank you.