Re: Chest discomfort

Posted By CCF CARDIO MD - MTR on July 01, 1998 at 00:02:34:

In Reply to: Chest discomfort posted by Jan on June 28, 1998 at 17:40:51:






Please tell me what angina feels like.  I have dilated cardiomyopathy.  Sometimes I feel like I am being jabbed by a sharp knife in the chest.  Other times, there is an under my breast bone hurts with a dull pain which becomes more and more intense the longer I am active.  Rest seems to relieve the discomfort.  Could both of this sensations be angina?  Thanks, Jan



   _
Dear Jan, thank you for your question.  Anginal pain can be in many shapes and
forms.  Most commonly, angina feels like a sharp pain in the chest (often
described as a stabbing pain) that can radiate to the arms and jaw.  Some
people, however, have shoulder pain or abdominal pain that is caused by angina.
The key to determining whether the pain is anginal is to see if it's reproducible
with a certain level of exertion and whether it can be relieved with nitroglycerin
tablets.   It would be uncommon for anginal pain to only occur at rest.  Symptoms
associated with angina include profuse sweating, nausea,and shortness of breath.
With that being said, there are many patients with chest pain that is not
anginal pain and is caused by anxiety, acid reflux from the stomach, arthritis,
or lung disorders.  The work-up for angina begins with an ECG, questions about
coronary artery disease risk factors (high blood pressure, high cholesterol,
diabetes, smoking, and a family history of premature coronary disease), and
possibly, a stress test.  More infromation on angina can be found under the
frequently asked questions archive of the heart forum.  Finally, since you have
been given a diagnosis of dialted cardiomyopathy, I presume that you do not
have coronary artery disease.  The diagnosis of dilated CM is only made after
coronary disease has been ruled out (usually with a cardiac catheterization).
Thus, I presume that your physicians have already ruled-out coronary disease
with a catheterization since you carry that diagnosis. I hope you find this
information useful.  You can also browse the American Heart Association website
at www.amhrt.org for more information on anginal symptoms.
Information provided in the heart forum is for general purposes only.   Specific
diagnoses and therapies can only be provided by your physician.