Why You Shouldn't Ignore Sudden Chest Pain

Heart disease is the most common type of cardiovascular disease. In the United States, it kills about 365,000 women and men every year. The most common symptom is angina, which is the term for chest pain that’s cardiac in origin.

If you have chest pain, you may be tempted to brush it off. After all, it could be indigestion or a panic attack. But you shouldn’t ignore sudden chest pain.

At Advanced Medical Care, our expert cardiologist, Mikhail Kapchits, MD, encourages you to pay attention to your heart health.  If you have chest pain, consider these questions.

Is the pain sudden?

Sudden pain that feels like your chest is being crushed is a sign that you could be having a heart attack. The pain may also radiate to your left arm or your jaw. If you experience sudden, crushing pain, call 911 and get to the emergency room as soon as possible.

Were you exercising?

Although chest pain can have a number of causes, pay attention to what else is going on in your body and even in your environment. Chest pain that arises while exercising is a troubling sign and could indicate that you’re having a heart attack.

Even walking up stairs may bring on chest pain that a cardiologist should investigate. Call 911 if you experience sudden chest pain with any kind of exercise.

Does the pain persist or return?

Chest pain isn’t always severe and dramatic the way it’s depicted on television and movies. Neither is a heart attack. You could have mild or moderate chest pain, even during an active heart attack.

Call us if you have chest pain that lasts longer than a few days, even if it’s mild. Any degree of pain that lasts longer than 15 minutes or resolves and then returns is a cause for concern.  Always call 911 or go to the emergency room if you think you’re having a heart attack.

Do you know what caused the chest pain?

If you just had a heavy meal and then experience chest pain, it may be simply heartburn — especially if you’ve gotten heartburn before. Or, if you suffered a blow to the chest, your pain may be related to that injury. Common non-cardiac causes of chest pain include:

• Heartburn (GERD)
• Peptic ulcers
• Chest injury and inflammation
• Shingles
• Esophageal spasm

However, if you have other symptoms, or the pain persists, give us a call.

Do you have other symptoms, too?

When you have a heart attack, you may or may not have significant chest pain. Instead, you could have other disturbing sensations, such as:

• Pressure, tightness, or aching in your chest
• Pain in your left arm
• Pain in your jaw or teeth
• Pain that spreads throughout your body
• Trouble breathing
• Unexplained fatigue
• Cold sweats
• Profuse sweating
• Dizziness
• Nausea or vomiting
• Rapid heartbeat

All of the above could signal that you’re having a heart attack, so call 911 or get to the emergency room. 

Other symptoms may indicate that your chest pain isn’t cardiac in origin, including:

• Food or acid backing up in your throat
• Trouble swallowing
• Pain that changes when you change body position
• Pain that continues for hours or days
• Pain that worsens if you cough or breathe deeply

Even though these symptoms may not indicate a heart attack, they could be a sign of something amiss with your heart or your digestive symptom. Call us so we can conduct a thorough examination, make a diagnosis, and come up with a treatment plan to help you be more comfortable.

Don’t dismiss sudden chest pain — be sure

If you don’t know what caused your chest pain, don’t guess. Contact our cardiology team so you can get treatment if you need it. The early stages of a heart attack often seem like other conditions, including heartburn, gas, or indigestion.

Do you wonder if your chest pain is a sign of a heart attack? Get the answers and treatment you need by calling 911 if you currently have chest pain, or call Advanced Medical Care for an angina evaluation at our offices in Queens and Brooklyn, New York.