Chest Pain - Causes, Risk factors, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment

1. Chest Pain

2. Chest Pain Chest pain is one of the most common symptoms that bring an individual to the emergency department. Seeking immediate care may be lifesaving, and considerable public education has been undertaken to get patients to seek medical care when chest pain strikes. You may be worried that you are having a heart attack, but there are many other causes of pain in the chest that the doctor will consider. Some diagnoses of chest pain are life-threatening, while others are less dangerous. Deciding the cause of chest pain is sometimes very difficult and may require blood tests, X-rays, CT scans and other tests to sort out the diagnosis. Often though, a careful history taken by the doctor may be all that is needed. There are many causes of chest pain, and while many are not serious, it may be difficult to distinguish a heart attack, pulmonary embolus, or aortic dissection, from another diagnosis that is not life-threatening, like heartburn. For that reason, individuals are routinely advised to seek medical evaluation for most types of chest pain. While each cause of chest pain has classic symptoms and signs, there are enough variations in symptoms that it may take specific testing to reach a diagnosis. These tests will depend on the current health and the healthcare professional’s index of suspicion as to what the diagnosis might be. Treatment for chest pain depends upon the cause. It is best to be safe. Always seek medical care if you are having chest pain.

3. Chest Pain Risk Factors Risk factors for pulmonary embolus (blood clot to the lung) • Prolonged inactivity such as bed rest, long car or airplane trips • Recent surgery • Fractures • Birth control pill use (particularly if the patient smokes cigarettes) • Cancer Risk factors for atherosclerotic heart disease. • Smoking • High blood pressure • High cholesterol • Diabetes • Family history Risk factors for aortic dissection • High blood pressure • Marfansyndrome • Ehlers-Danlossyndrome • Polycystic kidney disease • Cocaine use • Pregnancy

4. Chest Pain Symptoms Chest pain can cause many different sensations depending on what's triggering the symptom. Often, the cause has nothing to do with your heart — though there's no easy way to tell without seeing a doctor. Heart-Related Chest Pain • Pressure, fullness, burning or tightness in your chest • Crushing or searing pain that radiates to your back, neck, jaw, shoulders, and one or both arms • Pain that lasts more than a few minutes, gets worse with activity, goes away and comes back, or varies in intensity • Shortness of breath • Cold sweats • Dizziness or weakness • Nausea or vomiting Other types of chest pain • A sour taste or a sensation of food re-entering your mouth • Trouble swallowing • Pain that gets better or worse when you change your body position • Pain that intensifies when you breathe deeply or cough • Tenderness when you push on your chest • Pain that is persistently present for many hours

5. Chest Pain Diagnosis Chest pain doesn't always signal a heart attack. But that's what emergency room doctors will test for first because it's potentially the most immediate threat to your life. They may also check for life-threatening lung conditions — such as a collapsed lung or a clot in your lung. Follow-up Testing • Echocardiogram • Computerized tomography (CT scan) • Stress tests • Coronary catheterization (angiogram) Immediate Tests • Electrocardiogram (ECG) • Blood tests • Chest X-ray • Computerized tomography (CT scan)

6. Chest Pain Treatment Treatment varies depending on what's causing your chest pain. Medications • Artery relaxers. Nitroglycerin • Aspirin • Thrombolytic drugs • Blood thinners • Acid-suppressing medications. • Antidepressants Surgical and Other Procedures • Angioplasty and stent placement • Bypass surgery • Dissection repair • Lung re-inflation

7. Chest Pain Prevention Many deaths can be prevented because coronary heart disease is related to certain lifestyle aspects, according to the American Heart Association. However, certain factors beyond our control, like family history and age, increase our risk for heart disease. Some Controllable Risk Facts Are: • Smoking • Obesity • Physical inactivity • High blood pressure • High cholesterol

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