Chest Pain- Must Know Facts!!

Chest Pain- Must Know Facts!!

Dr. Sanoop Kumar Sherin Sabu

(M.B.B.S., M.D., Gen Med Resident GMKMCH Salem)

skssabu@gmail.com

 

I recollect one of my patients who came to ward with complaint of right sided chest pain.  He was a young 32-year-old man, with smoking and alcohol intake history . Being  right sided pain, it was   initially considered normal by him, but on arrival  to hospital as routine  we did an ECG which was suggestive of a MI- Myocardial infarction (Heart Attack).  He was rushed for an angiogram which showed 2 major blood vessels blocked. God’s grace, He was saved..  .

Another man 58-year-old gentle man, with no much addictions, while he was painting our flat, collapsed following sweating. My friend and me rushed, and found he was in cardiac arrest. We started him on CPR and shifted him to nearest private hospital, there he was given electric shock ( DC- Shock) to restart his heart pump, he was revived and then shifted to medical college. Angiogram and angioplasty was done for his heart vessels which had 3 blocks ( triple vessel disease).  Later the painter and his family came to us  with tears of happiness and joy.

 

Same stories many of us would have had heard in our friend circle or family. Some would have been lucky to be saved while others would have succumbed to death.

What is chest pain?

Chest pain, like any other pain, is localized or diffuse pain over your chest

What is the cause for chest pain?

In simple terms,

·         Can be an heart attack ( MI)

·         Can be muscular pain

·         Can be due to some lung diseases like infection, pus, cancers etc

·         Or can be even due to some gas trouble or abdominal diseases

What are the typical characteristics of a pain for heart attack?

·         Usually 90% cases pain due to heart attack is left sided or central.

·         Some times it can be right sided or abdominal pain can also be due to an heart attack.

·         Usually they are accompanied by other symptoms like sweating, dizziness of head, pain spreading to neck or hands , an impending feel of doom ( badness), black outs or unexplainable discomforts.

·         But few times a heart attack can present even without the above typical features too.

Who are at high risk of heart attack?

·         Advancing age is an inevitable risk factor

·         Family history of heart attacks increase your risk for having an heart attack

·         waist circumference  more than ≥102.7 cm in men and ≥89.0 cm in women

·         BMI more than 30 kg/m2 is associated with very high risk of heart disease

·         Uncontrolled diabetes ( blood sugars) , blood pressures, cholesterol , thyroid disease

·         Smoking ,alcohol intake , drug abusers

·         Poor lifestyle like intake of junk food, lack of daily exercise, stressful life,

 

What to do if chest pain?

·         Reach to a nearest hospital with facilities to do an ECG and a physician to interpret your ECG. If the ECG is inconclusive, repeat another ECG or do detailed investigations if needed to find the other reasons for your pain.

Can we predict heart attack?

·         Predicting an underlying heart disease is possible, but it is not recommended routinely for all people.  Decision is to be based on risk factors.

·         ECG, Lipid profile, Stress ECG ( Thread mill test) , Echocardiography, Angiography .

·         Among these, most helpful test for an early  heart vessel disease will be an angiography.

·         The choice of test is to be decided after getting evaluated by  your physician or Cardiologist.

What can we do?

·         Not all can do all tests every day. But best thing we can do for ourselves is good life style, control of diabetes, blood pressure, cholesterol, thyroid disease, getting rid of unhealthy habits

·         Cardiac disease screening is necessary only if you have significant risk factors for developing a heart attack, the decision for which can be taken after discussing with your physician.

 

Above all let the Creator guide your paths.

 

 

 

 

 

17-10-2022