What is chest pain?
Whether you experience sharp stabbing pain or a dull ache, pain in the upper rib area often causes alarm. Chest pain can arise due to a variety of factors, including digestive issues. When chest pain results from a heart-related problem, it could indicate a serious medical condition, including a heart attack.
What causes heart-related chest pain?
Heart attack is a well-known cause of chest pain, but other conditions can cause chest pain. These include:
- Angina: insufficient blood flow to the heart
- Aortic dissection: separation of the structures of the aortic artery
- Pericarditis: inflammation of the membrane surrounding the heart
If you have new or unexplained chest pain or suspect you're having a heart attack, you should seek immediate medical attention.
What are the symptoms of heart-related chest pain?
Symptoms of heart-related chest pain include:
- Crushing, burning, or searing pain
- Chest pressure or tightness
- Back, neck, jaw, or shoulder pain
- Pain that gets worse with activity
- Cold sweats
- Dizziness
- Vomiting
A heart condition may cause ongoing or intermittent chest pain.
What does a chest pain evaluation entail?
When you see Dr. Taghizadeh at San Diego Varicose Vein Treatment Center for evaluation for chest pain, he first reviews your medical history and he discusses your symptoms with you in detail. He also performs a physical examination and listens carefully to your heart, lungs, and stomach.
Dr. Taghizadeh may order diagnostic cardiovascular imaging, such as:
- Echocardiogram
- Carotid ultrasound
- Venous Doppler studies
- Electrocardiogram (ECG)
Performed in-office, these scans use state-of-the-art technology to evaluate your heart's activity.
Which treatments can address chest pain?
As an interventional cardiologist, Dr. Taghizadeh has extensive training and expertise with both primary and secondary care for heart-related conditions. Your customized care plan depends on the cause of your chest pain, your personal health history, and other individual factors.
Medication can address most heart-related chest pain. Dr. Taghizadeh may recommend:
- Artery relaxers
- Aspirin
- Thrombolytic drugs (dissolve blood clots)
- Blood thinners
In some cases, a surgical procedure is necessary to address the underlying cause of chest pain.
If you're concerned about chest pain, don't wait to seek help from a caring cardiovascular physician. Call San Diego Varicose Vein Treatment Center today or make an appointment online.
