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.

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.

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.