If studies show the accuracy of CT angiogram for detecting heart disease, why isn’t this tool used more often in chest pain ER cases? Research have shown the efficacy of the CT angiogram in detecting heart [...]
Why isn't the CT angiogram used commonly in emergency rooms to evaluate chest pain? Studies have shown the value of the CT angiogram in distinguishing ER patients with cardiac chest pain from those with non-heart [...]
How long should you wait with chest pain before deciding it's time to visit the ER? After all, you could be in that 15-30% of patients who end up having a heart attack. “It’s important [...]
You’re not out of the woods if a doctor discharges you from the emergency room after you reported chest pain. It may be a matter of life or death that you follow up within 30 [...]
Sudden brief “dings” of pain that occur in the divot at the bottom of the sternum might have a benign cause. I can only speak from my experience, but it’s very fair to conclude that [...]
A cardiologist explains possible causes of left side chest pain when exhaling. “Left sided chest pain that occurs with exhaling only is very rare,” says Donna P. Denier, MD, of The Cardiology Center with the [...]
If you have an attack of unstable angina while at rest, will the pain get worse if you begin engaging in physical activity? Rest may be in the form of watching TV, standing while doing [...]
Here’s what a cardiologist says about that sudden chest pain that lasts only seconds: angina or is this somehow related to your heart? Any kind of pain or ache in the heart area (“beneath” the [...]
So if chest pain lasts under a certain period of time, like really short, would this mean it CAN'T be from angina and thus nothing to worry about? Or can angina cause sudden but very [...]
The good news is that chest pain only when breathing probably doesn't mean a heart attack, but the real bad news is that it likely means that there is something else wrong with your heart. [...]
Here's a cardiologist's explanation for how sudden stress can sometimes cause chest pain. It can feel like a heart attack, especially when you remind yourself that there've been cases in which a heart attack indeed [...]
A cardiologist explains which side that chest pain is more likely to mean a heart problem or attack. “Typically, left sided chest pain is more common in patients with angina and/or heart attacks,” says Donna [...]
Sudden stress or anxiety has a specific way of causing angina or chest pain, even in healthy people. A person who does not have heart disease (plaque buildup in the coronary arteries) can still experience [...]
Here is what a cardiologist says about different kinds of chest pain like sharp, dull, persistent, intermittent. How can the different types of chest pain—constant, intermittent, sharp and dull/achy be distinguished from each other? “Chest [...]
Vomiting can definitely be related to a problem with the heart, including angina. “Angina can lead to vomiting, and it is one of the important signs of a heart attack,” says Donna P. Denier, MD, [...]
Is it possible for a CT scan to rule out angina? Angina is chest pain caused by blockages in the coronary arteries: coronary heart disease. It may also be accompanied by shortness of breath and/or [...]
Can chest pain in a physically fit person with low heart disease risk be caused by a soft plaque rupture? “Recent literature suggests two different kinds of plaque: calcified plaque which is considered more stable [...]
Do you get chest pain or what feels like angina that comes and goes, literally hurting one second then going away the next, like intervals? “By definition, angina occurs when the oxygen supply to the [...]
There's a type of angina that can occur at rest but not during exertion. Maybe you know that “unstable angina” can occur at rest, even during sleep and awaken the patient. But this type of [...]
Find out what you should do if ER testing finds nothing wrong with your heart despite chest pain and shortness of breath. Chest pain is the No. 1 reason why people visit the emergency room. [...]
Low risk for heart disease but chest pain? Which test is warranted: CT angiogram or catheter angiogram? Find out what someone with low risk for heart disease should do if they have suspicious symptoms and [...]
Suppose a passenger on an airplane develops an apparent pulmonary embolism; what should, or CAN, you do? A deep vein thrombosis can develop while a person is on an airplane. What might be done for [...]
What are the odds that if you uexplainably feel pain in both your back and your chest that it's a heart attack? Perhaps you’ve read that back pain can signal an oncoming heart attack, or [...]
A cardiologist explains eight conditions that can cause constant chest pain but no other symptoms. What can possibly cause constant chest pain and no other symptoms? The most common cause is angina, says Dr. Sameer [...]
Yes, stress and anxiety can cause chest muscles to spasm, resulting in scary “chest pain.” Chest pain has many causes, including a heart attack in progress, clogged coronary arteries, and muscle spasms induced by stress [...]
Wait till you find out the likely cause of sharp, stabbing chest pain when all your heart tests keep coming back normal. If you’ve been having sharp, stabbing or otherwise severe chest pain, but the [...]
The coronary calcium scoring procedure is very accurate at predicting the likelihood of the presence of heart disease, but does this mean that a result of zero automatically means you can’t possibly have any heart [...]
Find out if it’s possible to have angina at rest but not during or resulting from exercise or physical activity. You may know that it’s possible to experience angina during exercise or physical exertion, but [...]
If you’ve been having ripping, stabbing or excruciating chest pain out of the blue, even if it comes and goes, get to the ER immediately. You may have minutes to live... “Stabbing or ripping chest [...]
A pulmonary embolism is suspected, and the patient is being taken to the CT scanner to confirm this. The D-dimer was positive and the patient is exhibiting the classic symptoms of a pulmonary embolism. But [...]
Would you know what to do, besides call 911, if someone near you seemed to be showing signs of a pulmonary embolism? After all, a PE can kill in minutes. “Sudden onset of shortness of [...]
Yes, a person can have a normal stress test but a heart attack shortly after, says a cardiologist. Ever wonder if you can have normal stress test results, then suffer a heart attack soon afterwards? [...]
Anxiety can cause PVCs (premature ventricular contractions), especially if you have anxiety over PVCs. But just how does this happen; what is the mechanism? “Anxiety causes increased stimulation of beta receptors on the heart, which [...]
Find out why angina can cause vomiting. Angina is a condition in which insufficient blood flow occurs in the heart due to narrowing of the coronary arteries from disease (plaque buildup), and hallmark symptoms are [...]
The complication of DVT following joint replacement surgery can lead to a fatal pulmonary embolism. Therefore, the best prevention tactics for a DVT must be put into place. Other high risk surgeries for DVT are that [...]
Heart problems, namely severely clogged arteries, cause chest pain -- even at rest if the disease is severe enough. But how short is too short for chest pain to be heart related? “Anginal chest pain [...]
People with costochondritis may say it “feels like a heart attack,” that the pain can be severe, but is there a way to tell the difference? Is there a way for a layperson to tell [...]
Find out what you should do if you have chest pain but “all the tests” are normal. Many people have chest pain but the cardiac tests come back normal. Chest pain is the No. 1 [...]
If you have a swollen neck, face and arms, this can mean a life-threatening condition that could result in brain death. The expert source for this article about the cause of a swollen neck, face [...]
The causes of chest pain combined with difficulty swallowing can be benign...or life-threatening. The symptom duo of chest pain plus trouble swallowing is very frightening. It can occur suddenly and at any time for people [...]
