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Is Pain In Lower Chest An Early Sign Of Heart Attack?
Question: Hi, I am a 57 year old female, 5'6' 145lbs active, in good health. Three years ago a had a fluttering in my heart that went on for a week, had an EKG, blood workup, ultra sound, also wore a monitor for 3 days with all test coming back negative. The fluttering stopped in about 10 days with no more episodes.I was going through a stressful time with a job loss that hit me hard. I do have Gerd which I treat with pantoprazole 40mg daily. I avoid fried foods, spicy, fast food and generally eat healthy having salads normally daily. Last night in the middle of the night I had a strong acid reflux feeling which is extremely rare for me at night. I sat up but the feeling grew stronger, I got up to walk and the pain in the center of stomach like solar plexis area was really intense like it has never been before, I broke out in a full body sweat, breathing deeply because I was scared as it came on so quickly, hyperventilated so my hands and feet felt numb, very nauseous but could'nt throw up, pain was really bad. Within just a few minutes pain started to subside and I felt a flush of chills, started shaking uncontrollable, went back to bed and fell asleep. My sister is an RN and concerned about a heart attack, I had no other pain except lower chest, centered in my upper GI. I might add that I do have a Hiatal hernia and during the attack I had a huge knot there which felt hard! I feel fine today except I'm feeling a tiny, jittery feeling in my heart. I am going through another stressful time finacially. I know I need to get to a doctor but am unemployed with no insurance. Thank you!
Brief Answer:
Heart examination
Detailed Answer:
Greetings, madame. Welcome to HCM and thank you for your question. I understand your concerns.
Well, with the information provided above, I would also suspect, although with low index of suspicion, a heart attack. Infarctions of the inferior (lower) wall of the heart may sometimes present with no chest pain, but with epigastric pain and cold sweats. I will provide my medical opinion only, and I am sorry I cannot help you in regards to the medical insurance problem. In this scenario an EKG should be performed and troponin and CK-MB (enzymes that are not found in the blood circulation, except the case where heart muscle damage - infarction or ischemia - is present) should be run. This is more to exclude a heart attack, than to confirm it. The shaky and jittery feeling are signs that accompany stress, which, in your case, was clearly present, during the episode. There is minimal probability, however not impossible, that a 57-years old, suffers a heart attack. In my experience, I have had some cases that presented with no chest pain at all, and were diagnosed with inferior myocardial infarction. Therefore, my recommendation is that the upper mentioned tests should be done, in order to exclude this diagnosis, and this should be done in an emergency room of a nearby healthcare facility, as soon as you can.
I hope I was helpful with my answer. If you have follow-up question, I would be happy to help. Wish you a good health.
Best regards,
Dr. Meriton
Brief Answer:
Hello again
Detailed Answer:
Hello again, madame!
Genetic factor is a strong risk factor for cardiovascular disease and coronary artery disease. If this is a heart attack, the most important thing to do is to seek medical attention and, eventually, get admitted for further tests, procedures and treatment strategies. First, I will stress again that I recommend an EKG and cardiac enzymes (as mentioned in my first answer) should be done. It is these parameters that can confirm or exclude a acute myocardial infarction. Depending on the results, further strategies are pursued. My opinion is that you should go to the emergency room as soon as possible, and get these tests done. If they come back negative, you will put your mind at ease. And, if they confirm an acute myocardial infarction, hospitalization and coronary angiogram to treat the culprit artery that caused the attack, will most probably follow.
I hope this helps. I am happy to help, if you have further questions. Please rate my answer, if you do not.
Kind regards,
Dr. Meriton
Heart examination
Detailed Answer:
Greetings, madame. Welcome to HCM and thank you for your question. I understand your concerns.
Well, with the information provided above, I would also suspect, although with low index of suspicion, a heart attack. Infarctions of the inferior (lower) wall of the heart may sometimes present with no chest pain, but with epigastric pain and cold sweats. I will provide my medical opinion only, and I am sorry I cannot help you in regards to the medical insurance problem. In this scenario an EKG should be performed and troponin and CK-MB (enzymes that are not found in the blood circulation, except the case where heart muscle damage - infarction or ischemia - is present) should be run. This is more to exclude a heart attack, than to confirm it. The shaky and jittery feeling are signs that accompany stress, which, in your case, was clearly present, during the episode. There is minimal probability, however not impossible, that a 57-years old, suffers a heart attack. In my experience, I have had some cases that presented with no chest pain at all, and were diagnosed with inferior myocardial infarction. Therefore, my recommendation is that the upper mentioned tests should be done, in order to exclude this diagnosis, and this should be done in an emergency room of a nearby healthcare facility, as soon as you can.
I hope I was helpful with my answer. If you have follow-up question, I would be happy to help. Wish you a good health.
Best regards,
Dr. Meriton
Brief Answer:
Hello again
Detailed Answer:
Hello again, madame!
Genetic factor is a strong risk factor for cardiovascular disease and coronary artery disease. If this is a heart attack, the most important thing to do is to seek medical attention and, eventually, get admitted for further tests, procedures and treatment strategies. First, I will stress again that I recommend an EKG and cardiac enzymes (as mentioned in my first answer) should be done. It is these parameters that can confirm or exclude a acute myocardial infarction. Depending on the results, further strategies are pursued. My opinion is that you should go to the emergency room as soon as possible, and get these tests done. If they come back negative, you will put your mind at ease. And, if they confirm an acute myocardial infarction, hospitalization and coronary angiogram to treat the culprit artery that caused the attack, will most probably follow.
I hope this helps. I am happy to help, if you have further questions. Please rate my answer, if you do not.
Kind regards,
Dr. Meriton
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Raju A.T
I'm most afraid of it happening again. Are my chances that if this was an attack it most likely will happen again? My mother had an apparent heart attack in her early 50s but didn't learn until years later that she had.
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