When Should I Go to the ER for Chest Pain?

If you experience chest pain that is severe and sudden or presents as a form of crushing or squeezing, you should go to the emergency room immediately. If chest pain isn’t isolated and spreads to your back, shoulders, one arm, or jaw, getting to an emergency room as fast as possible can be the difference between a heart attack and the prevention of one. Although we each may have a different pain tolerance, the type of chest pain experienced will be extreme and should alarm you enough to make a quick visit to the emergency room.

Thankfully, there have been great advances in medicine and the treatment of heart conditions. Helpful forms of treatment include advanced heart imaging. With this form of imaging, doctors can get a better glance at your heart and cardiovascular system, determining if blood flow is normal. Tests can also inform doctors if you are suffering from a heart attack.

Types of Chest Pain

Unfortunately, chest pain is a symptom of a variety of medical conditions. Even though a person experiences chest pain, it may be completely unrelated to the heart or cardiovascular system. For instance, a person having a panic attack may feel heavy pain in the chest for a prolonged period of time. However, the pain will ultimately dissipate.

Heartburn and certain esophageal disorders can create chest pain. Those who recently engaged in strenuous physical activity may develop sore or pulled muscles that can mimic chest pain. In addition, lung diseases such as pneumonia can cause chest pain due to a severe cough.

Testing Methods

According to the National Library of Medicine, chest pain is the second-leading cause of emergency department visits among adults in the United States. This accounts for nearly 11 million encounters each year. There are a variety of traditional methods for determining a patient’s condition. Some of these methods consist of:

• Physical exams
• The use of diagnostic tools
• Cardiac biomarkers
• An echocardiogram

There are several types of echocardiograms:

• Stress Echocardiogram: A test performed before and after stress is placed on the heart through exercises or medications that make the heart beat more rapidly.
• Transthoracic Echocardiogram: This test provides views of the heart as well as different locations on the chest or abdominal wall.
• Doppler Echocardiogram: A test to examine the way in which blood flows through the heart, the surrounding blood vessels, and the heart valves.
• Transesophageal Echocardiogram: This test involves a probe inserted down the esophagus and provides higher-resolution images of the patient’s heart due to the probe’s position.

Once your condition is determined, doctors will begin to work on a treatment plan.

When Patients Are Admitted to the ER

Patients may be admitted to the emergency room for several reasons due to chest pain history. Those with the following should be admitted to the emergency room right away:

• Known coronary disease
• Ischemic changes on the electrocardiogram
• Possible pericarditis
• Possible aortic dissection
• Multiple cardiac risk factors such as hypertension or diabetes
• Family history of premature coronary artery disease

Understanding the different types of chest pain can help you better identify severe pain when it occurs.

Find Treatment Today

If you struggle with chest pain or cardiovascular issues, reach out to Apex Cardiology to learn about our treatment options. Personal attention is given to each patient, enhancing the care they receive. Not only can doctors treat certain conditions, but they can also run tests to better understand the health concern.

Our cardiologists proudly serve the Los Angeles area. Reach out to us today to speak with one of our experts who can explain our treatment plans for individuals experiencing cardiovascular symptoms. Schedule a consultation to speak with one of our doctors, who will assess the severity of your condition and offer solutions.