What mental health condition is characterized by intense panic attacks including symptoms like racing heartbeat and feeling of impending doom?

Panic Disorder is defined by the occurrence of recurrent and unexpected panic attacks, which are abrupt surges of intense fear or discomfort that reach a peak within minutes. Individuals experiencing a panic attack may indeed report physical symptoms such as a racing heartbeat, sweating, trembling, shortness of breath, feelings of choking, chest pain, nausea, dizziness, chills, or a sensation of unreality. Additionally, one of the hallmark features of a panic attack is a profound feeling of impending doom or fear that something catastrophic is about to happen, even when there is no tangible threat present.

The specificity of the panic attack experience distinguishes Panic Disorder from other anxiety-related conditions. Anxiety Disorder is a broader term that encompasses various forms of anxiety ailments, but it does not specifically refer to the panic attack phenomenon. Social Anxiety focuses on intense fear of social situations rather than spontaneous panic attacks. Generalized Anxiety Disorder involves pervasive, excessive worry about various aspects of life, rather than the acute episodes that characterize Panic Disorder. Thus, the defining features of Panic Disorder align closely with the symptoms detailed in the question.