Chest pain

Chest pain is a condition where the chest looks like a sting, pain or depression. This pain can occur in the right chest, left chest, or middle chest. Chest pain should not be ignored because it can be a symptom of a heart attack.

Chest pain can be very short or last for several days, depending on the cause. To get the right treatment, see a doctor immediately, especially if the pain spreads to the arms, neck, jaw, and back, and is accompanied by shortness of breath and cold sweat.

Causes of chest pain

The causes of chest pain vary greatly. However, this condition will be very dangerous if caused by heart and blood vessel disease, such as:

• Heart attack due to blockage of all blood flow to the heart.
• Coronary artery disease, which is a blockage of blood vessels leading to the heart.
• Cardiomyopathy, which is a disease caused by weak heart muscle.
• Myocarditis or inflammation of the heart muscle.
• Pericarditis or inflammation of the lining lining the heart.
• Aortic dissection, tearing the inner wall of the largest artery.

In addition to heart disease, chest pain can also be caused by other conditions, including:

• Lung diseases, such as blocked arteries in the lungs (pulmonary embolism), inflammation of the membranes surrounding the lungs (pleurisy), increased pressure on the blood vessels in the lungs (pulmonary hypertension), or lung infections ). collapse.
• Digestive system disorders, such as acid reflux (GERD), gallstones or inflammation of the gallbladder (cholecystysis) and inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis).
• Muscle and sternum disorders, such as inflammation of the cartilage between the ribs and sternum (costochondritis) or rib fractures.
• Other medical conditions, such as shingles (smallpox) or panic attacks.

Symptoms of chest pain

Chest pain felt by each person can vary depending on the underlying cause. Various chest pains include:

• Chest pain feels right, left, middle or all parts of the chest.
• The pain disappears for a few minutes or the pain lasts for several hours or continuously.
• Pain that looks like a sting, burning sensation or pressure.
• Chest pain worsens when moving
• Chest pain that improves or worsens when the body position changes.
• Increased pain when breathing or coughing.
• Pain that radiates to other parts of the body.

People who experience chest pain can also experience other symptoms depending on the conditions they are experiencing, such as bitter mouths, difficulty swallowing, coughing or rashes.

Immediately go to the emergency room of the nearest hospital if you experience chest pain such as pressure, radiating to the jaw, arm, neck or back, accompanied by:

• A cold sweat
• dizzy
• Nausea and vomiting
• palpitations
• hard to breathe

Diagnosis of chest pain
To determine the cause of chest pain, the doctor will ask about the symptoms and other diseases that are also affected. Then, the doctor will do a physical examination, including listening to the heartbeat and lung sounds with a stethoscope.

To determine the cause of chest pain, the doctor will perform several other tests, namely:

• Electrocardiography (ECG)

ECG can show electrical activity. The purpose of this test is to determine whether chest pain is caused by a heart attack.

• Chest radiograph

Chest X-ray examination determines the shape and size of the heart, and the presence of lung disorders such as wet or sagging lungs.

• Blood test

Blood tests are carried out to measure the concentration of certain chemicals in the blood that increases in a crisis.

• echocardiography

Echocardiography can help the cardiologist to see the heart in detail and know how the heart pump works.

• Heart catheter

This examination is done to check for blockages in blood vessels

• endoscopy

Endoscopy is done to check the condition of the digestive tract using a special camera. This examination is done if the doctor suspects chest pain due to acid reflux.

• the scanner

A CT scan is performed to check for possible blood clots in the lungs (pulmonary embolism) and to ensure that the patient's arteries do not tear (aortic dissection).

• Lung function test

This test is designed to determine whether chest pain is associated with lung disorders.

Treatment of chest pain
Treatment of chest pain depends on the underlying cause. Some types of drugs used to treat chest pain are:

• Medications to dilate heart blood vessels, such as nitroglycerin.
• Drugs that reduce stomach acid production, such as proton pump inhibitors.
• Anticoagulant drugs, such as aspirin or heparin.
• Drugs that kill blood clots, such as streptokinase.
• Antidepressants, like fluoxetine.

In addition to medication, doctors can also carry out the following medical procedures:

• Place the heart ring
• This method is performed by a cardiologist, which aims to increase the heart's blood flow by dilating blocked blood vessels, using balloons and rings.
• Bypass the heart
• This operation involves connecting new blood vessels as a shortcut or alternative route from blocked blood vessels.
• Lung reinflation
• This procedure is done by inserting a tube into the chest cavity, to restore the shape of the collapsed lungs.
• Repair of aortic dissection
• The doctor will repair a torn blood vessel by surgery.

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