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Heart Disease (Expert Forum)
Chest Pain
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Chest Pain
by PR, Nov 24, 2001 12:00AM
Other than CAD, what would cause chest pain? Could mild valvular regurgitation cause this? Thank you.
Doctor's Answer
by CCF-M.D.-CRC, Nov 26, 2001 12:00AM
Dear rp,
There are many causes of chest pain. The one that doctors worry about the most is cardiac because it has the potential to be life-threatening. Once this is ruled out the work-up can proceed at a more leisurely pace. Mild valvular regurgitation does not generally cause chest pain.
Amongst the cardiac causes of chest pain are: ischemia (due to blockages - including both stable and unstable angina and acute heart attack and coronary artery spasm), pericarditis (inflammation of the sack around the heart), myocarditis (inflammation of the heart), cardiomyopathy (heart failure) and rarer causes such as coronary artery dissection, acute rupture of the heart and valves and infections of the pericardium.
Gastrointestinal causes of chest pain include reflux (acid from the stomach washing back into the esophagus), gallstones, esophageal spasm, esophageal rupture, varicose veins of the esophagus, strictures of the esophagus, tumors of the esophagus and other less common GI problems.
Pulmonary (lung) causes include pneumonia, pulmonary embolus, pneumothorax, pleuritis and bleb rupture.
Other potential causes are aortic dissection, back and spine problems and musculoskeletal (muscle strain, rib fracture, etc.).
Psychological causes of chest pain are common and include panic attacks, anxiety, stress and mental duress.
As you can see the list of potential causes in long and may take a little bit of time to determine the precise cause. A good Internal Medicine doctor should be able to work through the potential causes of your symptoms.
There are many causes of chest pain. The one that doctors worry about the most is cardiac because it has the potential to be life-threatening. Once this is ruled out the work-up can proceed at a more leisurely pace. Mild valvular regurgitation does not generally cause chest pain.
Amongst the cardiac causes of chest pain are: ischemia (due to blockages - including both stable and unstable angina and acute heart attack and coronary artery spasm), pericarditis (inflammation of the sack around the heart), myocarditis (inflammation of the heart), cardiomyopathy (heart failure) and rarer causes such as coronary artery dissection, acute rupture of the heart and valves and infections of the pericardium.
Gastrointestinal causes of chest pain include reflux (acid from the stomach washing back into the esophagus), gallstones, esophageal spasm, esophageal rupture, varicose veins of the esophagus, strictures of the esophagus, tumors of the esophagus and other less common GI problems.
Pulmonary (lung) causes include pneumonia, pulmonary embolus, pneumothorax, pleuritis and bleb rupture.
Other potential causes are aortic dissection, back and spine problems and musculoskeletal (muscle strain, rib fracture, etc.).
Psychological causes of chest pain are common and include panic attacks, anxiety, stress and mental duress.
As you can see the list of potential causes in long and may take a little bit of time to determine the precise cause. A good Internal Medicine doctor should be able to work through the potential causes of your symptoms.
She has had every test that can be done on the heart, but all test are negative. We do not know what to do for the spike of the blood pressure or the shakes that is associated with it.
I'm thinking it might be GI related, because sometimes I might belch or pass gas, and the feeling eases some. It's more persistent when I'm lying in bed on my back watching TV or something. Roll over and I get some relief. But, at other times I also have some left tricep aching, and that concerns me. One time I sneezed and my left arm hurt to my elbow and chest seemed to tighten some.
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