Angina signals an underlying heart condition that can lead to a heart attack. Stable angina is triggered by emotional stress, smoking , heavy meals and extreme variances in temperature, all of which cause your heart to work harder.
This type of angina is episodic but controllable. Your doctor can help you understand and manage the condition. Unstable angina is characterized by sudden chest pain or worsening or persistent chest discomfort that occurs during sleep or reduced physical activity.
It is caused by a reduction in blood flow to the heart. This is a serious health issue that requires immediate medical attention.
During your regular after-dinner walk around the neighborhood, you feel a painful sensation in the center of your chest. Could it be your heartburn flaring up again, or something more serious? Heartburn is a common symptom of gastroesophageal reflux disease GERD , often called acid reflux.
Acid from the stomach bubbles up into the esophagus, causing a painful burning just behind the breastbone. Not surprisingly, it's often mistaken for a heart attack. In fact, of the over eight million emergency room visits for chest pain each year, severe heartburn accounts for over half the cases in which actual heart problems are ruled out.
Chest pain caused by insufficient blood flow to the heart angina or a heart attack is often described as a feeling of tightness, constriction, or pressure, rather than a burning sensation see "Heartburn or heart attack?
But it's not always easy to tell the difference. But you can also have angina that's not related to physical activity, she notes. If you have any symptoms you're not sure about, see a doctor. And call if you feel chest tightness, have trouble breathing, break into a sweat, turn pale, or become very weak. GERD and heart disease are both common, and many people take medications to prevent or treat both conditions.
The symptoms of heartburn may mimic those of angina or a heart attack or vice versa. If you're uncertain, don't hesitate to get to an emergency room for an evaluation as soon as possible. Pain that moves up toward your throat but doesn't typically radiate to your shoulders, neck, or arms. Heartburn, angina and heart attack may feel very much alike. Even experienced doctors can't always tell the difference from your medical history and a physical exam.
That's why, if you go to the emergency room because of chest pain, you'll immediately have tests to rule out a heart attack. If you have persistent chest pain and you aren't sure it's heartburn, call or emergency medical help.
Call your doctor if you had an episode of unexplained chest pain that went away within a few hours and you did not seek medical attention. Both heartburn and a developing heart attack can cause symptoms that subside after a while. The pain doesn't have to last a long time to be a warning sign.
Heartburn is discomfort or actual pain caused by digestive acid moving into the tube that carries swallowed food to your stomach esophagus. The "textbook" heart attack involves sudden, crushing chest pain and difficulty breathing, often brought on by exertion. Many heart attacks don't happen that way, though. The signs and symptoms of a heart attack vary greatly from person to person.
Heartburn itself can accompany other symptoms of heart attack. The most common symptom of heart attack for both men and women is chest pain or discomfort. But women are more likely than men to experience some of the other symptoms, such as jaw or back pain, shortness of breath, and nausea or vomiting.
Heart problems are more common among people who have high blood pressure, diabetes or high cholesterol. Smoking and being overweight are other risk factors. A muscle spasm in your esophagus may cause chest pain similar to that of a heart attack. Recent Blog Articles. Health news headlines can be deceiving. Why is topical vitamin C important for skin health? Preventing preeclampsia may be as simple as taking an aspirin.
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