Chest Pain and Heart Attack

If you have chest pain, expert cardiologists say you should immediately go to an emergency room or call 911. It is possible there is no cause for alarm, but only a trained, board-certified physician can properly diagnose the cause of the chest pain and implement the correct treatment.

When you need immediate medical care, Rice is a free standing ER in Houston. It is open 24/7 every day of the year. Doctors and registered nurses are ready to promptly take care of you and will not leave you lingering in a crowded waiting room. You can even check in online or call on your way.

Although there are many reasons for chest pain, you need to find out why you are having the pain since there is a strong chance it could be a heart attack.

Rice ER has state-of-the-art equipment for X-rays, CT scans, laboratory for blood tests, and electrocardiograms, all of which are necessary tools the physician needs to properly diagnose the cause of your chest pain.

Do I need to go to the ER for chest pain?

Chest pain is often associated with heart disease and should be diagnosed by a physician as soon as possible. The pain ranges from mild discomfort to severe pain accompanied by some of the following symptoms:

• A feeling of pressure on the chest, with burning, and/or tightness.
• A pressure or burning pain that radiates down one or both arms, or spreads to the back, neck, jaw, or shoulders.
• Your arm or hand may feel numb.
• The pain may last longer than a few minutes and gets worse with activity.
• The pain may go away briefly but return with more intensity.
• The pain is accompanied by shortness of breath.
• You break out in a cold sweat.
• You are also dizzy, weak, or lightheaded.
• It feels as though your heartbeat is racing.
• You may be nauseated or even vomit.

What medical conditions can cause chest pain?

There are some specific heart-related conditions that may be the cause of your pain.

• Heart attack. Blood flow to the heart muscle is blocked, likely from a blood clot.
• Angina. This is caused by a blockage of the flow of blood to the heart muscle by a buildup of plaque in the arteries.
• Aortic dissection. The inner layers of the aorta separate. The aorta is the main artery in the body, and this is a life-threatening condition and needs immediate medical intervention.
• Pericarditis. There is inflammation of the sac surrounding the heart. It causes a sharp pain that worsens when lying or taking a deep breath.

Are there heart attack symptoms unique to women?

Women often have unique symptoms when they are having a heart attack. Some do not even have chest pain, but experience some of the following symptoms:

• Pain in other areas of the body such as the shoulders, upper back, upper belly, jaw, or the neck.
• Shortness of breath
• Arm pain. Either in both arms or just one.
• Nausea or vomiting.
• Heavy sweating.
• Dizziness.
• Abnormal fatigue.
• Heartburn due to indigestion.

What types of chest pain symptoms are unrelated to the heart?

Only appropriate tests can tell the difference between pain related to the heart and pain unrelated to the heart. Generally, chest pain is less likely due to a heart problem if it is accompanied by the following symptoms:

• A sour taste in the mouth or a sensation that food is reentering the mouth.
• You have trouble swallowing.
• When you change your body position, the pain gets either better or worse,
• Tenderness when you push on your chest
• Pain that continues for many hours

What are medical conditions that may cause chest pain unrelated to the heart?

• Digestive issues related to the pancreatitis, gallbladder, or heartburn.
• Sore muscles, injured ribs, costochondritis.
• Blood clot in the lung which is life-threatening.
• Panic attack.

Are there specific diagnostic tests used immediately to determine the cause of the chest pain?

There are immediate tests the ER physician will order. At Rice ER, we have onsite laboratory and imaging services so that test results are provided quickly. This enables the doctor to make a diagnosis and instigate treatment. The tests you will need include:

• An electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG). This shows whether you have had a geart attack and whether your heart is beating too fast or too slow.
• Blood tests. This tells the doctor if cardiac enzymes have leaked into your blood stream which happens if you have had a heart attack.
• Chest X-ray. This shows your heart, lungs, and the blood vessels and whether your heart is enlarged. 
• Computerized tomography (CT) scan. This can tell if there is a blood clot or if there has been an aortic dissection.