What are the causes of chest pain ?Many people fear that they are having a heart attack when they experience chest pain. There are many different causes. Some are just inconvenient, like a muscle ache, others serious, like heartburn, and some can be life-threatening, like a blood clot in the lungs ( called a pulmonary embolism).
The chest pain from the heart is called angina. It happens when the heart does not get enough blood and oxygen. It tends to be made worse by exertion, and gets better with rest. It is usually described as a sudden crushing, squeezing, tightening, or pressure in your chest. The pain can radiate to your jaw, left arm, or between your shoulder blades. It may be associated with nausea, dizziness, sweating, a racing heart, or shortness of breath.
Who is at risk for a heart attack ?
Risk factors that cannot be modified include : age ( the older you are, the higher your risk) and gender ( males are at higher risk than women till after menopause).
Other risk factors include
- smoking
- high blood pressure
- diabetes mellitus
- high cholesterol
What tests might a doctor do ?
- ECG ( it gives a tracing of the electrical activity of your heart)
- blood tests to test for cardiac enzymes
- treadmill stress ECG
- CT coronary angiogram
- cardiac catheterisation
How can a heart attack be prevented ?
- Make a healthy lifestyle .
- Achieve and maintain normal weight.
- Control medical conditions like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes.
- Don't smoke.
- Eat a diet low in saturated and hydrogenated fats and cholesterol, and high in starches, fiber, fruits, and vegetables.
- Get at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise on most days of the week.
- Reduce stress.
What treatment is available ?
That depends on the symptoms and how severe the disease is.
If you have coronary artery disease that does not cause symptoms ( chest pain), you can be treated with either medicine or angioplasty with stenting. Surgery includes coronary by-pass surgery or minimally invasive heart surgery.
Each patient is different and the doctor will assess each situation to decide which mode or combination will be the best.
