| Chest pain is merely a symptom, not a diagnosis. | | | | Chest pain is a common symptom which can be |
| Many medical problems can cause chestpain, and | | | | caused by many different conditions. Somecauses |
| before the chest pain can be adequately treated, | | | | of chest pain require prompt medical attention, |
| the actual underlying cause needsto be identified. | | | | such as angina, heart attack, or tearingof the |
| The following is a list of the more common | | | | aorta. Other causes of chest pain can be |
| causes of chest pain, roughly inorder of the | | | | evaluated electively, such as spasm of |
| frequency in which they are seen in the | | | | theesophagus, gallbladder attack, or inflammation |
| emergency room. Chest pain is one ofthe most | | | | of the chest wall. Therefore, an accuratediagnosis |
| frightening symptoms you can have. It is | | | | is important in providing proper treatment to |
| sometimes difficult even for a doctor orother | | | | patients with chest pain. Thediagnosis and |
| medical professional to tell what is causing chest | | | | treatment of angina is discussed below, as well as |
| pain and whether it is life threatening. | | | | the diagnosis of other causesof chest pain that |
| Chest pain is one of the most common reasons | | | | can mimic angina. |
| people call for emergency medical help. | | | | Fortunately, chest pain doesn't always signal a |
| Every year emergency room doctors evaluate | | | | heart attack. Often chest pain is unrelated toany |
| and treat millions of people for chest pain. | | | | heart problem. But even if the chest pain you |
| Chest pain isn't just a problem for adults. It may | | | | experience has nothing to do with |
| occur in a child as well. Many of the causesaren't | | | | yourcardiovascular system, the problem may still |
| serious, but they may require a doctor's attention. | | | | be important - and worth the time spent in |
| Follow this chart for moreinformation about chest | | | | anemergency room to have your chest pain |
| pain in infants and children. | | | | evaluated. |
| Physical activity that involves the chest muscles, | | | | Heart attack - A heart attack, or myocardial |
| especially when it is new or more strenuousthan | | | | infarction (MI), occurs when a fatty |
| usual, can cause muscles soreness. The pain is | | | | plaqueruptures. A blood clot (thrombus) can form |
| longer-lasting than most episodes ofischemic pain | | | | on the plaque, which can partially or |
| and is often made better or worse by a particular | | | | completelyblock the artery. This blockage slows |
| position. Taking a deepbreath may make the pain | | | | or blocks blood flow to the area of heart muscle |
| worse, and it may only affect a specific area of | | | | fed bythat artery. If this continues for more than |
| the chest. Pressingon this area of the chest | | | | 15 minutes, the muscle can become damaged |
| usually causes the pain to become worse. | | | | orinfarcted (that is, the tissue in that area dies). |
| Angina: Angina is chest pain related to an | | | | During a heart attack, thepatient may feel a |
| imbalance between the oxygen demand of | | | | discomfort that is similar to an episode of |
| theheart and the amount of oxygen delivered via | | | | ischemia. A heart attack resultsfrom a prolonged |
| the blood. It is caused by blockage ornarrowing of | | | | period of angina. |
| the blood vessels that supply blood to the heart. | | | | Sudden sharp chest pain mimicking the same |
| Angina is different from a heartattack in that the | | | | symptoms of a myocardial infarction orangina. |
| arteries are not completely blocked. Also, angina | | | | The chest pain my be affected by breathing and |
| causes little or nopermanent damage to the heart. | | | | may persist for several days and mayrecur. |
| Stable angina occurs while exercising and goes | | | | Generally, pericarditis is presumed to have a viral |
| away withrest. Unstable angina is not relieved by | | | | cause and therefore show flu likesymptoms prior |
| rest or actually occurs at rest. | | | | to the attack. |