There are plenty of other potential suspects when it comes to chest pain. Show Written by: UAB Medicine
Understanding the differences between cardiovascular events and other causes of chest pain can save you a trip to the emergency room. It is also important because the discomfort could be caused by other urgent conditions, as well as less serious issues that may point to a chronic medical problem. When it comes to cardiovascular causes of chest pain, UAB Medicine cardiologist Gregory Chapman, M.D., says “the usual suspects” include coronary artery blockages, high blood pressure, and heart valve or rhythm disorders. But there are plenty of other potential suspects. Chapman included a chapter on chest pain diagnosis in his book “A Strong and Steady Pulse: Cardiac Stories,” which is scheduled for publication in 2021. “We have to consider non-cardio causes as we rule out the usual suspects,” Chapman said. “Not only because we might diagnose a specific medical condition for treatment later, but also because there may very well be an emergency at hand. The story doesn’t end as soon as you tell patients they are not having a heart attack. If you have an ulcer that is bleeding and causing severe pressure in the abdomen, as I saw with a female patient I discuss in the book, then that has to be treated immediately.” Take symptoms seriouslyIn the United States, nearly 6 percent of emergency room patients report chest pain. More than half of those cases involve non-cardiac chest pain, or NCCP, that is caused by heartburn, anxiety or other issues. A staggering 80 percent of patients who complain of chest pain during primary care visits are simply experiencing NCCP. However, the National Institutes of Health estimates that as many as 25 percent of emergency room patients with chest pain have acute coronary syndrome (ACS), a condition that reduces blood flow to the heart. These numbers highlight the dilemma for both patients and health care professionals: chest pain must be taken seriously, even if it turns out not to be serious. Below are some signs of a potentially real cardiovascular event that warrant immediate medical attention:
The symptoms of a heart attack tend to increase in severity and duration as they fade and then return. The annoying pressure that may signal the onset of a heart attack can become stabbing pains. Radiating pain, nausea and shortness of breath might slowly grow to extreme levels.
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