Causes of chest pain can vary from minor problems, such as indigestion or stress, to serious medical emergencies, such as a heart attack or pulmonary embolism. The specific cause of chest pain is often difficult to interpret.
As with other sudden, unexplained pains, chest pain may be a signal for you to get medical help. Use the following information to help you determine whether your chest pain is a medical emergency.
Heart attack
A heart attack occurs when an artery that supplies oxygen to your heart muscle becomes blocked. A heart attack generally causes chest pain that lasts longer than 15 minutes. But a heart attack can also be silent and produce no signs or symptoms.
Many people who suffer a heart attack have warning symptoms hours, days or weeks in advance. The earliest predictor of an attack may be recurrent chest pain that's triggered by exertion and relieved by rest.
Someone having a heart attack may experience any or all of the following:
- Uncomfortable pressure, fullness or squeezing pain in the center of the chest lasting more than a few minutes
- Pain spreading to the shoulders, neck or arms
- Lightheadedness, fainting, sweating, nausea or shortness of breath
If you or someone else may be having a heart attack:
- Dial 911 or call for emergency medical assistance. Don't "tough out" the symptoms of a heart attack for more than five minutes. If you don't have access to emergency medical services, have someone such as a neighbor or friend drive you to the nearest hospital. Drive yourself only as a last resort, if there are absolutely no other options. Driving yourself puts you and others at risk if your condition suddenly worsens.
- Chew a regular-strength aspirin. Aspirin can inhibit blood clotting. However, you shouldn't take aspirin if you're allergic to aspirin, have bleeding problems or your doctor previously told you not to do so.
- Take nitroglycerin, if prescribed. If you think you're having a heart attack and your doctor has previously prescribed nitroglycerin for you, take it as directed. Do not take anyone else's nitroglycerin.
- Begin CPR. If the person suspected of having a heart attack is unconscious, a 911 dispatcher or another emergency medical specialist may advise you to begin cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Even if you're not trained, a dispatcher can instruct you in CPR until help arrives.
Pulmonary embolism
An embolus is an accumulation of foreign material — usually a blood clot — that blocks an artery. Tissue death occurs when the tissue supplied by the blocked artery is damaged by the sudden loss of blood. Pulmonary embolism describes the condition that occurs when a clot — usually from the veins of your leg or pelvis — lodges in an artery of your lung.
Signs and symptoms of pulmonary embolism include:
- Sudden, sharp chest pain that begins or worsens with a deep breath or a cough, often accompanied by shortness of breath
- Sudden, unexplained shortness of breath, even without pain
- Cough that may produce blood-streaked sputum
- Rapid heartbeat
- Anxiety and excessive perspiration
As with a suspected heart attack, dial 911 or call for emergency medical assistance immediately.
Heart attack
A heart attack occurs when an artery that supplies oxygen to your heart muscle becomes blocked. A heart attack generally causes chest pain that lasts longer than 15 minutes. But a heart attack can also be silent and produce no signs or symptoms.
Many people who suffer a heart attack have warning symptoms hours, days or weeks in advance. The earliest predictor of an attack may be recurrent chest pain that's triggered by exertion and relieved by rest.
Someone having a heart attack may experience any or all of the following:
- Uncomfortable pressure, fullness or squeezing pain in the center of the chest lasting more than a few minutes
- Pain spreading to the shoulders, neck or arms
- Lightheadedness, fainting, sweating, nausea or shortness of breath
If you or someone else may be having a heart attack:
- Dial 911 or call for emergency medical assistance. Don't "tough out" the symptoms of a heart attack for more than five minutes. If you don't have access to emergency medical services, have someone such as a neighbor or friend drive you to the nearest hospital. Drive yourself only as a last resort, if there are absolutely no other options. Driving yourself puts you and others at risk if your condition suddenly worsens.
- Chew a regular-strength aspirin. Aspirin can inhibit blood clotting. However, you shouldn't take aspirin if you're allergic to aspirin, have bleeding problems or your doctor previously told you not to do so.
- Take nitroglycerin, if prescribed. If you think you're having a heart attack and your doctor has previously prescribed nitroglycerin for you, take it as directed. Do not take anyone else's nitroglycerin.
- Begin CPR. If the person suspected of having a heart attack is unconscious, a 911 dispatcher or another emergency medical specialist may advise you to begin cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Even if you're not trained, a dispatcher can instruct you in CPR until help arrives.
Pneumonia with pleurisy
Frequent signs and symptoms of pneumonia are chest pain accompanied by chills, fever and a cough that may produce bloody or foul-smelling sputum. When pneumonia occurs with an inflammation of the membranes that surround the lung (pleura), you may have considerable chest discomfort when inhaling or coughing. This condition is called pleurisy.
One sign of pleurisy is that the pain is usually relieved temporarily by holding your breath or putting pressure on the painful area of your chest. This is not true of a heart attack. See your doctor if a cough and a fever or chills accompany your chest pain. Pleurisy alone, however, isn't a medical emergency.
Last Updated: 01/09/2008
