auto fill

[willieu]

Severe pain in the upper back that seems to go through the breast bone, then the pain moves to the left side.  I have two stents.  Have heard pain in the back is a sign of an oncoming heart attact.  Is this true ?

[Cleveland Clinic]

It is very unusual to have back pain from a heart attack.  Typically, patients present with chest tightness or shortness of breath or even upper abdominal pain.  Your back pain sounds very musculoskeletal in nature and it is probably from a pulled muscle.  However, if it persists you should have it looked into.  There are some patients who have chest pain equivalents, such as shoulder pain, or arm pain, or maybe even back pain, but that is how they have always presented.  Since you have had two stents put in, I am assuming that you had experienced some type of symptoms that caused you to have a stress tests or direct catheterization.  Those are the symptoms that you should pay special attention to because they may be signs of a heart attack.  As I mentioned above, if these symptoms persist you should have this looked into further.  There is one other condition that cardiologist always worry about when they hear back pain.  It is called a dissection of the aorta.  Patients typically present with tearing chest pain that radiates straight through to the back.  They have elevated blood pressure and often are very short of breath.  Again, your symptoms do not sound like that at all.  

[ireneo]

Depending on time zone, it takes awhile for people to find time to get on the computer and check the msg board. It's not even 8am where I live. I don't have the answer to your question since I have arrhythmias, not heart attack problems. I do know other body organs can cause pain. When my gall bladder acts up I get nasty pain from back to front and up into my shoulder - on the right side. Stomach problems can cause pain on the left side and up. You also have lungs, pancreas, liver and lungs. With your stents though I understand your worry. Have you called your doctor's office and asked?

[willieu]

You did not answer my question.  Where did I go wrong ?

Willieu