Chest Pains

Chest Pains

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Chest pain

is the most frequent reason
why patients visit the emergency room, the pain experienced could be a sharp, stabbing, or dull ache, the intensity and duration of the pain is something that must be considered when examining the patient.

man with chest pain

Our Centers are staffed with a team of cardiologists and other heart specialists as well as gastroenterologists, in addition, all our centers are equipped with the latest diagnostic tools including:

  • EKG (Electrocardiogram)
  • CT Scans
  • Ultrasounds
  • X-rays
  • Full-Service Laboratory

What are the Most Common Causes of Chest Pain

There could be many reasons why an individual experiences
chest pains, these are the most common:

Heart
Related Causes

When you or someone you love experience chest pain, the first thing that comes to mind is it could be a heart attack, however, according to the CDC, it is estimated that only 13% of ER visits for chest pain turn out to be caused by serious heart-related illnesses. When the diagnoses do reveal a serious heart problem the most frequent causes are:

Heart Attack: Direct blockage of blood flow to the heart muscle.

Angina: Blockage in the blood vessels that lead to the heart.

Myocarditis: Inflammation of the heart.

Pericarditis: Inflammation of the sac surrounding the heart.

Cardiomyopathy: Disease of the heart muscle.

Symptoms of
Heart-Related Causes

Symptoms of Heart-Related Chest Pains

If you experience any of the following symptoms, head to one of our emergency centers immediately:

Chest pressure or tightness

Dizziness

Shortness of breath

Pain in your back, jaw, or arm.

Abdominal pain

Gastrointestinal
Related Causes

Gastrointestinal Causes of Chest Pain

A lot of visits to the emergency room turn out to be gastrointestinal-related issues instead of heart-related problems. The most common gastrointestinal causes include:

Acid Reflux or Heartburn.
Inflammation of the gallbladder or pancreas.
Disorders of the esophagus.

Lung
Related Causes

Lung-Related Causes of Chest Pain

Some respiratory illnesses or injuries could result in acute chest pain, these include:

Pneumonia
Viral Bronchitis
Bronchospasm (constraining of the airways common in asthma or COP sufferers)
A blood clot in the lungs also known as pulmonary embolus.

Other Possible Causes
of Chest Pains

Other Causes of Chest Pain

Other frequent causes of chest pain are:

Broken or bruised ribs.
Sore muscles for excessive physical exertion.
Chronic pain syndromes.
Panic attacks.

How Are the Causes
of Chest Pain Diagnosed
in Our Centers?

To properly diagnose the real cause of a patient’s chest pains, our emergency doctors will request one or more of the following diagnostic tests:

  • Electrocardiogram or EKG: This test records the electrical activity of the patient’s heart.
  • Blood tests to measure cardiac enzymes levels in the patient.
  • Chest X-rays, these will allow doctors to examine the heart, lungs, and blood vessels.
  • Ultrasound, to examine the status of the gallbladder and pancreas as well as discard the possibility of gallstones.
Once our team has diagnosed the real cause of the patient’s chest pains, they will decide on the best course of treatment.

If the diagnoses reveal a heart-related problem, the cardiologist may initiate treatment with one of the following:

  • Administering medications such as nitroglycerin, clot-busting drugs, blood thinners, or cardiovascular dilators.
  • Cardiac catheterization, this involves the use of stents to open blocked arteries.

If the chest pain is caused by other factors, our specialists could recommend any of the following:

  • Lung re-inflation in case of a collapsed lung.
  • Antacids and other heartburn medications.
  • Antianxiety medications if a panic attack is responsible for the chest pain.
When to Go to the Emergency Room with a Chest Pain?
Emergency Street sign

If you experience recurrent chest pain or pain that lasts for several hours or even days, you should make an appointment with your doctor.

However, if your chest pain is gradually getting worse, with pain building in intensity that is not relieved by resting, you could be having a heart attack and should come to the nearest Altus Emergency Center immediately. Correctly diagnosing the cause of chest pain is not something you can do at home; only a doctor can do it. And you should never ignore any type of chest pain.

At Altus Emergency Centers, we have the most experienced emergency physicians who can quickly and accurately diagnose the cause of a patient’s chest pain. We are open 24/7, with no lines.

If the chest pain is caused by other factors, our specialists could recommend any of the following:

  • Lung re-inflation in case of a collapsed lung.
  • Antacids and other heartburn medications.
  • Antianxiety medications if a panic attack is responsible for the chest pain.