Flushed Sensation in Chest Area

  I am a 50 year old female, have had high blood pressure for about 20 years,
  and have recently been diagnosed with Type II Diabetes.  Both of these
  diseases are controlled with meds.  There is a history of heart disease
  within my family and my Mother died from Angina at age 56.  I have never
  smoked or drank.  Since being diagnosed with diabetes, I have had many tests
  to determine extinct of damage from out of control sugar levels.  I have had
  a stress test, EKG's and an echocardiogram.  The last was run to determine
  if a Mitral Valve Prolapse which I had been diagnosed with years ago still
  visible.  At the time of the echo, it was not.  I am on a low fat, low sugar
  diet and also on meds for tryglericides and cholesterol.
  My problem is as follows:  last night I was awakened at 4:30 a.m. with my
  chest feeling as if it were flushed (or I was having a hot flash but only
  in my chest area).  My right arm was also aching, but no pains and no shortness
  of breath.  My chest felt as if pressure were there, but no pains.  I was
  lying on my back, so I turned to my side, but that didn't help.  After about
  15 minutes, I got up, went to the bathroom and had a bowel movement.  After
  this, the flushed feeling began to diminish and after about an hour I fell
  asleep again.  During the time I was awake, I tried hard not to panic,
  thinking it would make the feelings worse.  With all of my background, I do
  fear heart problems, so panic sets in rather quickly when I feel ill.  Today
  I feel okay, but my chest area feels slightly sore or "crushing".  This has
  happened to me before on occasions, and once it happens it seems to reappear
  for several more times in concession, then it goes away for a while.  
  Any answers and suggestions would be appreciated.  Thanks.  
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Dear Lani
If you have not had a recent stress test, it may be reasonable to repeat one. You are at risk for coronary artery disease and your symptoms could be due to that. Another possibility, if it is not your heart, is that your symptoms are from your digestive system and an evaluation by a gastroenterologist might be useful - but only once your doctors have excluded heart disease.
I hope this has been useful. I wish you the best of luck. Feel free to write back.
Information provided here is for general purposes only. Specific questions should be addressed to your own doctor. 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.