WHAT YOU SHOULD
KNOW
Chest pain can result from diseases in many different
parts of the body, including the heart, lungs, stomach, and
bowel. The muscles and bones of the chest wall may be involved.
Anxiety, rapid breathing, and gas also can produce chest pain.
The cause can be very dangerous, or no danger at
all.
Signs/Symptoms
Any kind of pain or discomfort
(such as burning or pressure) felt in the
chest.
Care
Because chest pain can be caused
by something serious, your doctor will usually first do tests
to check for life-threatening problems. You will have a
complete exam, and will probably have to give a sample of your
blood. You will have an electrocardiogram
(e-LEK-tro-CAR-dee-o-gram) to check your heart. A chest x-ray
may also be done. You may need other tests, x-rays, or
scans if a cause cannot be found. You may be given different
medicines to see if they help relieve the pain. Other care will
depend on what your doctor decides is causing the
pain.
Do's and
Don'ts
Never drive yourself to the hospital when you are having
chest pain. Good rules of health are to quit smoking, lose
weight if you weigh too much, and try to exercise every
day.
Risks
Without treatment, the cause of
your chest pain may get worse, and possibly become
life-threatening.
WHAT YOU SHOULD DO
Call Your Doctor If...
-
You have questions or concerns about your illness or
medicine.
-
You think your medicine is causing you problems such
as a rash, itching, or
swelling.
Seek Care Immediately
If...
-
You have severe chest pain, especially pain that is
crushing or pressure-like and spreads to the arms, back,
neck, or jaw; or if you also have sweating, nausea, or
difficulty breathing.
THIS IS AN EMERGENCY. Get medical help at once. Dial
0 (operator) or call
911. Do
NOT drive yourself to the
hospital.
-
Your chest pain gets worse or does not get better
within 24 hours.
-
You have attacks of really bad pain lasting more than
15 minutes at a time.
-
Your skin, fingers, or toes appear blue or
gray.
-
You feel dizzy or you
faint.
-
You have tingling or numbness in your arms or legs,
or cannot move them.
-
You breathe very rapidly at rest or find that you are
gasping for air.
-
You start to sweat and look
pale.
-
You have a high
temperature.
-
You are having trouble breathing, and get swelling,
itching, or a rash after taking your
medicine.
IF YOU'RE HEADING FOR THE
HOSPITAL...
What to Expect While You're
There
You may encounter the following
procedures and equipment during your stay.
-
Taking Vital Signs: These include your temperature,
blood pressure, pulse (counting your heartbeats), and
respirations (counting your breaths). A stethoscope is used
to listen to your heart and lungs. Your blood pressure is
taken by wrapping a cuff around your
arm.
-
Pulse Oximeter: You may be hooked up to a pulse
oximeter (ox-IM-ih-ter). It is placed on your ear, finger,
or toe and is connected to a machine that measures the
oxygen in your blood.
-
Oxygen: Your body may need extra oxygen at this
time. It is given either by a mask or nasal prongs. Tell
your doctor if the oxygen is drying out your nose or if the
nasal prongs bother you.
-
ECG: Also called a heart monitor, an
electrocardiograph (e-LEK-tro-CAR-dee-o-graf), or EKG. The
patches on your chest are hooked up to a TV-type screen or
a small portable box (telemetry unit). This screen shows a
tracing of each heartbeat.
-
12 Lead ECG: This test makes tracings from different
parts of your heart. It can help your doctor decide whether
there is a heart problem.
-
Activity: You may need to rest in bed. Once you are
feeling better, you will be allowed out of
bed.
-
Blood: Usually taken from a vein in your hand or
from the bend in your elbow. Tests will be done on the
blood.
-
Blood Gases: Blood is taken from an artery in your
wrist, elbow, or groin. It is tested for the amount of
oxygen in your blood.
-
Chest X-ray: This picture of your lungs and heart
helps the doctor determine the source of the
pain.
-
IV: A tube placed in your vein for giving medicine
or liquids. It will be capped or have tubing connected to
it.
-
CT Scan: Also called a ""CAT'' scan, this is an
x-ray using a computer. It is used to make pictures of the
part of your body that may be causing the
pain.
-
Upper GI: This is an x-ray of your stomach and
intestines. You will need to drink a chalky liquid before
the x-rays.
-
Medicines:
-
Nitroglycerin (ny-tro-GLIS-er-in): Reduces the
amount of oxygen your heart needs. Also opens the
arteries to your heart so that it gets more oxygen. As a
result, the pain usually diminishes or goes away.
However, the ""nitro'' may also give you a headache or
make you dizzy. It is taken by placing it under your
tongue or attaching a medicine-filled patch to your
chest, arm, or back.
-
Pain Medicine: May be given in your IV, as a shot,
or by mouth. If the pain does not go away or comes back,
tell a doctor right away.
After You Leave
-
Return immediately to your doctor if you start having
any of the symptoms listed in the section entitled ""Seek
Care Immediately If...'' above. These are signs of serious
diseases that need immediate medical
care.
-
You need to return later or make an appointment with
another doctor to find the exact cause of your
pain.
-
Always take your medicine as directed by your doctor.
If you feel it is not helping, call your doctor. Do not
quit taking it on your own.
-
Quit smoking. It harms the heart and lungs. If you
are having trouble stopping, ask your doctor for
help.
-
Since it is hard to avoid stress, learn to control
it. Learn new ways to relax (deep breathing, relaxing
muscles, meditation, or biofeedback). Try to talk to
someone about things that upset
you.
-
Weighing too much can make the heart work harder. If
you need to lose weight, ask your doctor for a weight-loss
plan.
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