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.
In people with ischemic chest pain (caused by the heart not getting enough oxygen-rich blood), there are often changes in the ECG. A normal ECG means that a heart attack is less likely, but it does not rule out angina or a heart attack.
A person with a heart condition may have a normal ECG result if the condition does not cause a problem with the electrical activity of the heart. In this case, your doctor may recommend other tests, including: physical examination (listening to heart sounds)
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.
Thus, if your echo exam results come out normal, then yes. Your heart is okay. There is nothing to fear. However, if you continue to experience discomfort or heart-related symptoms, contact your cardiologist for an in-depth evaluation.
Noncardiac chest pain is defined as recurring pain in your chest — typically, behind your breast bone and near your heart — that is not related to your heart. In most people, noncardiac chest pain is actually related to a problem with their esophagus, most often gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
Stress echocardiography tests can help your doctor diagnose the cause of your angina.
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.
Chest pain and heart problems
The most common heart problems that cause chest pain include: pericarditis – which usually causes a sudden, sharp, stabbing pain that gets worse when you breathe deeply or lie down. angina or a heart attack – which have similar symptoms but a heart attack is life-threatening.
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.
An ECG Can Recognize the Signs of Blocked Arteries. But for further accurecy a CT coronary angiogram can reveal plaque buildup and identify blockages in the arteries, which can lead to a heart attack.
It's important to remember that one blood test alone doesn't determine the risk of heart disease. The most important risk factors for heart disease are smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. Here's a look at some of the blood tests used to diagnose and manage heart disease.
Diagnosing angina
Your doctor can suspect a diagnosis of angina based on your description of your symptoms, when they appear and your risk factors for coronary artery disease. Your doctor will likely first do an electrocardiogram (ECG) to help determine what additional testing is needed to confirm the diagnosis.
Patients with definite or possible ACS but whose initial 12-lead ECG and cardiac marker levels are normal should be observed in a facility with cardiac monitoring (eg, chest pain unit), and a repeat ECG and cardiac marker measurement should be obtained 6 to 12 hours after the onset of symptoms.
It is most commonly caused by acute coronary syndrome, but chest pain also can be caused by factors including: gastrointestinal reflux disease (the most common non-cardiac cause of chest pain),2 pulmonary embolisms, pericarditis, and musculoskeletal factors.
What does myocarditis chest pain feel like? It's common to feel a sensation of tightness or squeezing in the chest, either when at rest or when active. It could also happen if you're lying down. You may have chest pain that feels sharp or stabbing, and chest pain/discomfort may spread to other parts of your body.
Another possible reason for angina when the heart arteries appear to be clear can be temporary spasms of the heart arteries – this is called coronary artery spasm, or sometimes vasospastic angina or Prinzmetal angina.
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.