Is Chest Pain a Heart Attack? Key Symptoms and Causes You Should Know

Chest pain and heaviness are anxious symptoms that are most likely to be responsible for worrying about heart disease. Though real heart conditions such as angina or heart attack are responsible for chest pain, acid reflux disease, lung infection, muscle cramp, or anxiety can even be the actual cause of the same. Identifying the probable reasons, signs, and determinants is mandatory for early identification and proper medication. If you are experiencing chest pain or heaviness, it is best to get the treatment from the best cardiology hospital near me so that we can ensure that we provide good diagnosis and timely treatment.
Contact us right away at +91 9667064100 and book an appointment and start on the journey of a healthier heart.

What is Chest Pain?

Pain or discomfort in the region between the abdomen and the neck is known as chest pain. It may be sharp, dull, persistent, or intermittent, depending on the etiology. Not all chest pain is serious, but some may be associated with a serious medical condition, especially one of the heart or lungs. Prompt medical assessment is required for appropriate diagnosis and treatment.

Symptoms of Chest Pain

The symptoms of chest pain depend on the cause.
 

Chest Pain Due to Heart Issues

Chest pain due to heart issues, like a heart attack or angina, can have the following symptoms:
 

• Squeezing or tightness or pressure in the chest.
• Pain or discomfort spreading to the shoulders, arms, back, neck, jaw, teeth, or upper belly.
• Shortness of breath.
• Fatigue and dizziness.
• Cold sweats.
• Burning sensation similar to heartburn.
• Nausea and a rapid pulse.
   

If you have any of these, it is advisable to meet the best cardiologist in Noida at the earliest for proper assessment and immediate intervention to avoid complications.
 

Other Reasons for Chest Pain

All chest pain is not cardiac in origin. Some of the features that suggest a non-cardiac etiology are:
 

• Sour taste or regurgitation.
• Swallowing difficulty.
• Changing pain with position.
• Worsening discomfort on deep breathing or cough.
• Tenderness with pressure on the chest.
• Chronic pain lasting more than an extended period of time.
   

Burning indigestion behind the breastbone is sometimes mistaken for cardiac pain. It may be caused by something wrong with digestion, though. 
 

When to Get Medical Care

New or unfamiliar chest pain is never to be ignored. If you believe you are experiencing a heart attack, dial +91 9667064100 or seek emergency medical services immediately. If no emergency service is available, have someone bring you to the nearest hospital. Do not drive yourself if possible. Prompt medical attention can be a lifesaver in chest pain due to the heart.

Causes of Chest Pain

Chest pain can be due to various medical conditions, ranging from heart disease to gastrointestinal, respiratory, muscular, and even psychological causes. It is essential to know the possible causes for proper diagnosis and treatment.
 

Heart and Blood Vessel Causes

Some of the most serious causes of chest pain are those related to the heart and blood vessels, including:
 

• Angina: Pain in the chest due to decreased blood supply to the heart, typically felt as squeezing or tightness. A symptom of coronary artery disease. Unstable angina can cause a heart attack.
• Heart Attack: Happens when blood flow to the heart is obstructed, resulting in chest pain, shortness of breath, and other symptoms. Seek immediate medical care.
• Aortic Dissection: A catastrophic disease whereby the aorta's layers get dissected, with blood leaking in between, risking a rupture.
• Pericarditis: Inflammation of the heart sac, resulting in severe pain, which is aggravated by breathing deeply or lying down.
   

Digestive Causes

Diseases of the digestive system can also cause chest pain, such as:
 

• Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD): When stomach acid flows back to the esophagus and produces a burning sensation in the chest (heartburn).
• Swallowing Disorders: Some swallowing disorders can be painful and produce chest pain.
• Gallbladder or Pancreatic Disease: Gallstones or gallbladder or pancreatic inflammation can form abdominal pain extending to the chest.
   

Lung-Related Causes

There are several respiratory disorders that produce chest pain, including:
 

• Pulmonary Embolism: Obstruction of one of the arteries in the lung by a clot that prevents circulation of blood, usually simulating a symptom of heart attack.
• Pleurisy: Enlargement of the covering membrane on the lungs and causes severe, stabbing chest pain upon coughing or breathing.
• Collapsed Lung (Pneumothorax): Leaks into the space between the chest wall and the lung and causes stabbing chest pain and difficult breathing.
• Pulmonary Hypertension: High blood pressure in the arteries that lead to the lungs, causing pressure or pain in the chest.
   

Muscle and Bone Causes

Chest pain can also be caused by muscle and bone injury or condition, such as:
 

• Costochondritis: Inflammation of the cartilage that attaches the ribs to the breastbone, occasionally confused with heart-related pain.
• Rib Injury: A broken or bruised rib may produce pain in a limited region of the chest.
• Chronic Pain Conditions: Fibromyalgia and other disorders may cause recurring muscle pain, at times including the chest.
   

Other Causes

Other disorders that can produce chest pain are:
 

• Panic Attacks: Sudden attacks of fear with chest pain, accelerated heart rate, sweating, shortness of breath, and dizziness. They cannot easily be differentiated from heart attacks.
• Shingles: Viral infection that results in severe pain and rash across the chest and back.
• Nerve Pain: Nerves of the upper spine or mid-back can be compressed, resulting in referred pain to the chest.
   

There are numerous causes of chest pain, and some of them are fatal. If you have severe, ongoing, or unusual chest pain, get emergency medical help immediately.

Diagnosis and Treatment of Chest Pain

Chest pain is not the cause of a heart attack, but it is one of the first things emergency medical services look for because it can be fatal. Medical experts also check for serious lung conditions, including a collapsed lung or pulmonary embolism (lung clot). For the diagnosis and treatment of the cause of chest pain in the right manner and at the right time, treatment at the best cardiology hospital in Noida ensures you of the finest-class expertise and cutting-edge medical procedures to treat the cause of chest pain.
 

Diagnostic Tests that are conducted immediately

To determine the cause of chest pain, doctors may perform the following initial tests:
 

• Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG): This is a quick test that records the heart's electrical activity, which may indicate whether a heart attack is occurring or has occurred. The chest, arm, and leg sensors transmit information to a display, which produces the results.
• Blood Tests: A heart attack causes release of certain proteins and chemicals into the blood. Blood tests will pick them up.
• Chest X-ray: X-ray test takes a photograph of the lungs, the size of the heart, and the arrangement of the heart, helpful in diagnosing pneumonia, lung collapse, or other abnormalities.
• Computerized Tomography (CT) Scan: A CT scan produces cross-sectional images of the chest that help to detect such conditions as a blood clot in the lung or an aortic dissection.
   

Follow-Up Tests

If initial tests don't reveal the source of chest pain, additional tests may be required:
 

• Echocardiogram: This ultrasound imaging examination makes instant images of the heart and indicates the flow of blood through its chambers and valves.
• CT Coronary Angiogram: An X-ray machine with a strong beam scans the heart arteries to find heart diseases.
• Exercise Stress Test: The test tests the functioning of the heart while exercising by observing the heart functions when walking on a treadmill or stationary bike. For patients unable to exercise, medicines that mimic stress are substituted as an alternative.
• Coronary Catheterization: A small, flexible tube (catheter) is placed into a blood vessel in the wrist or groin and threaded to the heart. A special dye is injected to become visible on X-ray images and outline blockages.

Treatment of Chest Pain

Treatment depends on the cause of chest pain.
 

Medicines

• Nitroglycerin: Usually prescribed for chest pain due to narrowed heart arteries, this drug dilates blood vessels, enhancing blood flow.
• Blood Pressure Drugs: Certain drugs lead to relaxation and opening of blood vessels, reducing chest pain associated with the heart.
• Aspirin: In a suspected heart-related chest pain, aspirin is given to prevent further blockage of the arteries.
• Thrombolytics (Clot-Buster Drugs): Given in heart attack situations, these drugs break up clots in arteries to ensure return of blood to the heart.
• Blood Thinners: If a clot is detected in the heart or lungs, these medications prevent further clotting.
• Acid-Reducing Medications: These medications decrease the acid in the stomach if heartburn or acid reflux is the cause of chest pain.
• Anti-Anxiety Medications: These medications may be prescribed along with treatment such as cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) by physicians if chest pain is caused by panic attacks.
   

Surgical and Procedural Therapies

In life-threatening or severe cases, the following operations are done:

• Angioplasty and Stent Placement: A balloon-tipped catheter is placed inside the blocked artery. The balloon is inflated to dilate the artery and a stent (a tiny wire mesh cylinder) is placed to keep it open.
• Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery (CABG): A surgery that requires opening the chest where a healthy artery from another part of the body is harvested and grafted to go around a narrowed or blocked artery to restore blood flow to the heart.
• Emergency Aortic Repair: In case of an aortic dissection (a severe tear in the aorta), emergency repair is necessary.
• Lung Reinflation: In case of a collapsed lung, a chest tube is inserted to reinflate the lung.

What You Can Do in a Medical Emergency

In case you are experiencing chest pain, you can assist medical physicians by informing them of the following:

• Symptoms: Inform doctors about the type, intensity, and timing of pain, as well as things that trigger and relieve the pain.
• Medical History: Inform doctors of any medical history of chest pain, cardiovascular diseases, or family history of diabetes or cardiovascular diseases.
• Medications: Provide a list of all prescribed medication, supplements, and over-the-counter drugs that you take.

Questions to Ask Your Doctor

To better understand your treatment and condition, you can ask:

• What is the most likely cause of my chest pain?
• What else may be the cause of my symptoms?
• What tests will I require?
• Do I require hospital admission?
• What are my treatment choices right now?
• Are there any complications that may arise from these treatments?
• What is the next step in treatment?
• Will my general medical conditions affect my treatment?
• Do I need to make some modifications in my lifestyle or routine?
• Do I require a referral from a specialist?

Visit the Best Cardiologists at Felix Hospital for your Healthy Heart

Felix Hospital offers world-class cardiac care under the supervision of some of the top cardiologists in Noida. Our talented team comprises:

• Dr. Rahul Arora – One of the top interventional cardiologists with expertise in treating heart failure and complex cardiology interventions.
   
• Dr. Virendra Singh – One of the most experienced cardiologists with a proven track record of providing high-end cardiac care with patient-centric approach.

Felix Hospital is state-of-the-art technology-enabled and is rated as one of the best heart hospitals in Noida. We provide personalized and comprehensive heart care to enable our patients to achieve their best results.

Chest pain can be a symptom of a life-threatening underlying condition. Don't delay. Book a Heart Health Consultation Today by clicking here.

Conclusion

Chest pain must never be left unnoticed since it can be a life-threatening condition that needs urgent medical attention. Although not all chest pain is cardiac, accurate diagnosis by a physician is necessary in order to exclude life-threatening causes and provide appropriate treatment. In the event of sudden, severe, or inexplicable chest pain, emergency medical care can be the difference between preventing complications and safeguarding your health. Remember that the treatment of heart conditions may be dependent on the severity of the condition and interventions required, hence the need for early diagnosis and treatment.

FAQs on Chest Pain 

Q- How do I distinguish heart chest pain from pain of other origins such as GERD or anxiety? 
Ans- Heart chest pain is typically pressure or tightness and it extends to the arm, back, or jaw. Non-cardiac pain, including that of GERD, is usually burning in nature, while anxiety chest pain is usually with rapid breathing, sweating, or a feeling of impending doom.
 

Q- What are Felix Hospital diagnostic tests for chest pain? 
Ans- We employ a combination of diagnostic examinations like ECG, chest X-ray, blood work, echocardiogram, and CT coronary angiogram at Felix Hospital to determine the cause of chest pain precisely and respond accordingly.
 

Q- Can one experience chest pain from muscle strain and not heart disease? 
Ans- Yes, chest wall muscle strain can be so similar to heart disease pain that it's impossible to tell. If the pain worsens with movement or with palpation of the chest wall, it's most likely musculoskeletal and not cardiac.
 

Q- What is the function of anxiety in chest pain, and how is it treated? 
Ans- Anxiety can lead to chest pain either by causing hyperventilation or muscle tension. Treatment could include treating the underlying anxiety with therapy, medication, or relaxation. If anxiety is suspected, a psychological assessment may be suggested.
 

Q- How soon should I get medical care if I have chest pain that doesn't go away? 
Ans- You need to hurry to get medical care if you have persistent chest pain, particularly if you have symptoms of shortness of breath, sweating, nausea, or dizziness. Prompt action will avoid more serious complications, such as a heart attack.
 

Q- Which lifestyle modifications avoid chest pain owing to the heart? 
Ans- A heart-healthy way of life, including healthy dietary habits, regular exercise, tension control, quitting smoking, blood pressure regulation, and cholesterol management, can actually lower the risk of heart disease and resultant chest pain.
 

Q- What sets Felix Hospital apart as one of the top cardiology hospitals in Noida for chest pain treatment? 
Ans- Felix Hospital is unique due to its state-of-the-art technology, expert cardiologists, and patient-focused care. We provide individualized care for every heart condition, from diagnosis to complex treatments, with the best results for our patients.