stress test

[jitter]

My question is I had a stress test done because I was having chest pains, shortness of breath,and tighting in the chest.
I had a stress test done and their was a 80% change of a blockage
I was put on 40mg of pravachol. I couldn't take it because it made my muscles hurt so I was taken off it and ended up having to have a cath done when the results came back their was no blockage but I am still having the tighting of the chest and the chest pains. I was told that it could be me having spasms in my esophagus. I cholesterol was 270. My husband is wanting me to see another doctor because I am still haveing these pains.What i don't understand is the stress test showed something was wrong I was put in the hospital for 3 days before I had the cath done and i was taking blood thiners, beta blocker and nitroglycerin patches. I 've heard that if their is nothing wrong with you that the nitroglycerin would give you a very bad headache but it didn't  do this to me when i was taking it i didn't hurt not one time. So what do you think about this test and the results

[CCF-M.D.-KE]

Dear jitter,

You describe an abnormal stress test but a normal cardiac catheterization. Unfortunately the stress tests are not perfect and occassionally they will falsely indicate that a person has a blockage when in reality they do not. If your angiogram is completely normal it is unlikely that your chest pain is coming from the heart. Rarely spasms (transient narrowing) of the heart arteries may cause CP, but I would discuss this with your doctor. They may have tested for this during your catheterization. I would also recommend having an echocardiogram to evaluate your heart valves and treatment for your high cholesterol. If your echocardiogram does not show any valve problem to explain your symptoms, I would suggest being evaluated for non-cardiac causes for your pain.

Thanks for your question,


CCF-MD-KE

[jitter]

also heart attacks run in my family I am 33 use to smoke but when i got put in the hospital I quit does anyone know if this is normal the stress test says everything normal but my blood work showed my chol. was 270 I still have the tighting of the chest and the pains I don't have heart burn nothing wrong with esophageal please read the top this goes with it .