Some of the first tests a health care provider may order when diagnosing the cause of chest pain include: Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG). This quick test measures the electrical activity of the heart. Sticky patches called electrodes are placed on the chest and sometimes the arms and legs.
An ECG is often used alongside other tests to help diagnose and monitor conditions affecting the heart. It can be used to investigate symptoms of a possible heart problem, such as chest pain, palpitations (suddenly noticeable heartbeats), dizziness and shortness of breath.
The normal EKGs and ECHO that you have had are good indicators that your heart is healthy. The chest pains do have to be addressed because it can be an early sign of narrowing in the arteries of your heart. You should make sure you see your doctor regarding the chest pains.
Many different heart conditions can show up on an ECG, including a fast, slow, or abnormal heart rhythm, a heart defect, coronary artery disease, heart valve disease, or an enlarged heart. An abnormal ECG may also be a sign that you've had a heart attack in the past, or that you're at risk for one in the near future.
An EKG Has Limits
It measures heart rate and rhythm—but it doesn't necessarily show blockages in the arteries unless they are causing acute loss of blood flow to the heart muscle.
Electrocardiogram (EKG) checks for the possibility of a heart attack. Certain EKG patterns are associated with variant angina and unstable angina. These patterns may indicate serious heart disease or prior heart damage as a cause of angina.
However, it does not show whether you have asymptomatic blockages in your heart arteries or predict your risk of a future heart attack.
Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG).
This quick test measures the electrical activity of the heart. Sticky patches called electrodes are placed on the chest and sometimes the arms and legs.
A coronary angiogram is a type of X-ray used to examine the coronary arteries supplying blood to your heart muscle. It's considered to be the best method of diagnosing coronary artery disease - conditions that affect the arteries surrounding the heart.
Ninety-five percent of the time, people we see with chest pain, all the testing is normal, at least 90 percent of the time it is.
Heart-related chest pain
Pressure, fullness, burning or tightness in the chest. Crushing or searing pain that spreads to the back, neck, jaw, shoulders, and one or both arms. Pain that lasts more than a few minutes, gets worse with activity, goes away and comes back, or varies in intensity. Shortness of breath.
Episodes of pain caused by coronary disease usually last less than an hour. Coronary disease rarely causes episodes lasting more than 12 hours without electrocardiographic changes of acute myocardial infarction.
An ECG can show inflammation, as well as localize the area of the heart that is inflamed. In the setting of heart muscle inflammation, an ECG commonly shows extra beats (extrasystole) and/or an accelerated heartbeat.
You want to call 911 if you are having sudden, crushing chest pain or if your chest pain radiates into the jaw or the left arm. You want to call 911 if your chest pain also causes shortness of breath, or dizziness, nausea, or vomiting.
A silent heart attack is a heart attack that has few, if any, symptoms or has symptoms not recognized as a heart attack. A silent heart attack might not cause chest pain or shortness of breath, which are typically associated with a heart attack.
How anxiety causes chest pain. When you're anxious, your brain sends a surge of adrenaline and cortisol through your body. These hormones immediately trigger a rapid rise in your heart rate and blood pressure. As a result, many people experience chest pain and sweating, or have a hard time breathing.
An ECG can help detect problems with your heart rate or heart rhythm. It can help doctors tell if you're having a heart attack or if you've had a heart attack in the past. An ECG is usually one of the first heart tests you will have. It does have some limitations, so often you will have one or more other tests too.
Anxiety or stress is the root of most chest butterflies—also referred to as heart palpitations—and they can stimulate a surge of adrenaline in the body. The adrenaline rush then produces a faster and stronger than normal heartbeat. That's when you get the feeling of a butterfly or flutter in the chest.
Angina is chest pain or discomfort caused when your heart muscle doesn't get enough oxygen-rich blood. It may feel like pressure or squeezing in your chest. The discomfort also can occur in your shoulders, arms, neck, jaw, abdomen or back.
Yes. A heart attack can actually happen without a person knowing it. You can understand why it is called a "silent" heart attack.
You can have a heart attack and not even know it. A silent heart attack, known as a silent myocardial infarction (SMI), account for 45% of heart attacks and strike men more than women.