Artery Spasms?

[Mitzi38]

Please help me I was just told I was having artery spasms today. I have 2 sets of twins and I am scared. If this is what I am having will I feel tight in my sholder all the time? Or just during the spasm

[Ger57]

Coronary artery spasms can cause tightness in chest/shoulder area and can last up to half an hour

You could consider yourself "lucky' as many coronary artery spasms go undiagnosed and can lead to heart attacks.
Now you are diagnosed, proper action can be taken.

There is no need to get scared. The outlook is generally good if you follow your treatment plan and avoid triggers.

Often these spasms occur from high blood pressure or high cholesterol levels. If this is the case with you, proper action can be taken to control these spasm triggers.

Other triggers are: smoking, use of stimulants, such as cocaine and amphetamines, extreme stress, extreme cold.

Medication to treat /prevent the spasms may be nitrates and/or calcium channel blockers.

Follow your cardiologists treatment plan and you will

[Ger57]

be fine.

[ChatterAlly]

These coronary artery spasms are very troubling and make like miserable.  I am still trying to find the right drug or combination of drugs to reduce this.  For now the spasms have settled down, but it is always a wait and see game. My spasms are a burning ache that radiates through the chest to the both arms, to the back and up to my cheek bones at times. Much like my heart attacks felt.  How old are you?  How was this diagnosis made?  I mean, what sent you to the doctor and what tests were done?  Keep us posted.  There are many of us with the same misery.   Ally

[ReeseeB]

I also have these Arterial Spasms! I have been placed on Metorprolol Tartrate and Isosorbide and I also was on Aspirin.. I still have these spasms but they are not as bad as they were.... You may want to ask your physician to have you try these medications...... See a Cardiologist for this, not just your Primary Physician......

[wildky]

i.v had heart spasms since last year try renex it made me so sick now on isibro.diltizem and nitro it scaring because when laying on left side heart pounds.said my veins to small so used dilate to make larger and asprin regulater

[joanincarolina]

How are you doing? Joan.

[joanincarolina]

Hi: spasms are painful. I have had them since 2005. It is important that you understand the possible cause for this and get on medication to help. A calcium channel blocker works well. My spasms do leave me with a tightened feeling to the left chest wall but not into the front shoulder, but the upper back just under the scapula. You may also be tensing and guarding that area because of the fear of creating another spasm. Do you know if anything causes them, as in exertion or anxiousness? These can be managed, they may go away or subside for a period of time. Find out why the doctors think you have these, and tell us if any meds were prescribed. We'll be happy to help with other questions; the good news? In all the years of these spasms I do not have heart damage. The problem lies in NOT treating them due to the reasons addressed by KenKeith. Joan.

[ed34]

Who told you that you have Coronary artery spasm? did they not recommend any kind of medication?

[kenkeith]

Sorry for your condition, it is troublesome.
For insight, the coronary spasm contracts the muscles in the wall of an artery in the heart making the artery constrict.  When the artery constricts, blood flow through the artery is either stopped or slowed. When this occurs, the heart does not get enough blood. The symptoms would occur during the intermittent spasms and that would include chest pain described as a feeling of tightness, pressure, heaviness, squeezing, or burning. This pain is usually on the left side and radiates to the lower jaw, neck, shoulder, back, arm, or hand.