Subject: Re: chest pain
Forum: The Heart Forum

Topic Area: Angina

Hello,
I have sent in questions before; thank you in advance. I searched the forum for help but didn't see anything. I was recently diagnosed with benign and frequent PVCs and PACs. I also get occasional to periodic PATs, considered benign. Recent tests: May '98: stress test = normal results. 1999 tests include: several EKGs = all normal; halter monitor = palpitations, benign and normal; event monitor = palpitations, benign and normal; echocardiogram = almost normal except slightly enlarged left atrium (4.4) and slightly elevated right pulmonary pressure (32; I live at 5,280 feet altitude). I take Atenolol, 25 mg/day now; this medicine has helped reduce the palpitations significantly, I am happy about that. I am a 42 year-old female, about 30 lbs overweight, have recently lost weight and am excercizing.

However, I have been complaining for months to my PCP and cardiologist about chest pain - shooting or pulling pain, usually localized in one area (but not always) - this area is in my left breast, but on the edge of it, it's upper right end. These pains are very short (last several seconds at the most), but sometimes they repeat every half minute to minute, for a while. Once in a while I'll get palpitations right after an individual pain episode, or I will get the sensation of a very strong, forceful beat right after an individual pain episode.
I would like to talk my doctor into getting additional testing done to rule out heart disease (I have one grandfather who died of heart attack at 53). My parents are in their 80s without major heart problems. First of all, I've read the forum doctors' descriptions of non-heart chest pain. I don't seem to have any of those symptoms, nor does it sound like angina. Could the pain be caused by some other kind of heart or artery problem like a blood clot or a problem that is not serious?
And second, what kind of additional tests would you recommend I have performed?
DH

Dear DH,

Pains that last only seconds are not generally due to heart blockages. Many suffers of PVC's complain of pain with the PVC's and this is one possible explaination. It's doubtful a blood clot would cause this without some other symptoms. Have GI sources been investigated?

I hope you find this information useful. Information provided in the heart forum is for general purposes only. Only your physician can provide specific diagnoses and therapies. Please feel free to write back with additional questions.

If you would like to make an appointment at the Cleveland Clinic Heart Center, please call 1-800-CCF-CARE or inquire online by using the Heart Center website at www.ccf.org/heartcenter. The Heart Center website contains a directory of the cardiology staff that can be used to select the physician best suited to address your cardiac problem.

Follow Ups:

• chest pain DH 6/15/1999 (3)
  • Re: chest pain AMR 6/15/1999 (2)
    • chest pain DH 6/15/1999 (1)
      • Re: chest pain CCF CARDIO MD - CRC 6/16/1999 (0)

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