Thursday, July 24, 2008

"Angina Pectoris or Chest Pain"


Chest pain refers to pain or discomfort in the chest area, which includes the heart, lungs, esophagus, ribs, sternum (breastbone), muscles, tendons and nerves. It may begin in the chest area or be referred pain from other areas.


Chest pain is a symptom of an underlying condition. Although many people associate chest pain with heart conditions, many noncardiac disorders can also trigger it. The underlying condition may be life-threatening (e.g., heart attack, pulmonary embolism), but most times it is not (e.g., heartburn, muscle strain, costochondritis, transitory benign chest wall pain, panic attack).


To ensure proper treatment, people experiencing any form of chest pain are encouraged to contact their physician. Patients should contact their physician immediately when chest pain lasts longer than three to five days, and when it is accompanied by fever or a cough that produces yellow-green phlegm. Patients should seek emergency
medical treatment when chest pain is severe or is accompanied by nausea, dizziness, sweating, a racing heart or shortness of breath. A sudden sensation of crushing, squeezing, tightening or pressure in the chest, or pain that radiates to the jaw, neck, arm or shoulder blade, is also a cause for serious concern.
To determine the cause of chest pain, a physician may order a number of tests including blood tests, electrocardiograms and
imaging studies such as x-rays or MRI. Treatment for chest pain depends on its cause. Though some causes require only minor treatment (e.g., antacids, NSAIDs), more serious conditions may require surgery such as angioplasty or coronary bypass. Some conditions may even resolve with no medical treatment. Although many causes of chest pain cannot be prevented, patients can reduce their risk by making healthy lifestyle choices. This may include achieving and maintaining a healthy weight and exercising regularly.

2 comments:

Pooja said...

Angina pectoris is squeezing or tightening within the chest. It is also called chest pain. There are many causes of insufficient supply of blood to heart, angina pectoris such as stress, tension, excessive exertion. Angina pectoris is separated into two categories stable and unstable. Unstable angina pectoris is very much serious than stable angina. It is a minor issue but regular check is needed to prevent it. For more details refer what is angina pectoris

willy said...

A sudden sensation of crushing, squeezing, tightness or pressure in chest, or pain that radiates to the jaw, neck, arm or shoulder blade, is also a serious concern because they are symptoms of this disease, so it must or rather have close access as sildenafil citrate has, to combat disease how are you.