Chest Pain

Symptoms to Watch For

What It Is

Chest pain is a common symptom with many possible underlying causes, ranging from minor injuries to life-threatening conditions. Identifying the root cause quickly is essential so the appropriate treatment can begin.

Heart Attack

A heart attack happens when the blood supply to the heart muscles is obstructed, causing damage to the heart tissue. You may experience chest pain along with other symptoms and require emergency medical treatment.

Angina

This type of chest pain occurs when the heart muscle does not get enough oxygen due to narrowed or blocked arteries. It may feel like tightness or squeezing in the chest and may be triggered by intense activity or stress.

Pulmonary Embolism

Pulmonary embolism occurs when a blood clot travels to the lungs and stops the blood flow, causing chest pain, shortness of breath, coughing up blood, and rapid heartbeat. This condition can be lethal without immediate treatment.

Pneumonia

Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs that causes inflammation and buildup of fluid in the air sacs. It presents with chest pain that worsens with breathing or coughing, fever, chills, cough, and mucus production.

When to Seek Help

Contact our cardiologists immediately if you or a family member experiences chest pain or any other heart-related issues.

Treatment Approaches

Our doctors first run diagnostic tests to determine the root cause. In many cases, medications alone suffice, including beta-blockers, aspirin, ACE inhibitors, anticoagulants, and diuretics. For severe cases, procedures such as stent placement or angiography may be performed to open blocked arteries.