Chest pain can be a concerning symptom with multiple potential origins, including cardiac and non-cardiac factors. We provide accurate diagnosis and personalized treatment plans to alleviate your discomfort.
Your Heart and Cardiac Chest Pain :
Your heart, a vital muscle within your chest, acts as a powerful pump, distributing oxygen-rich blood to sustain your body’s essential organs. To keep your heart working efficiently, it relies on its own supply of oxygenated blood delivered through the coronary arteries, which intricately wrap around it, ensuring its health.
Identifying Cardiac Chest Pain:
Cardiac chest pain, often referred to as angina, is a distinct sensation experienced when the heart doesn’t receive an adequate blood supply, causing oxygen deficiency. This pain is frequently described as pressure, tightness, or a squeezing sensation in the chest. Some liken it to an intense, crushing pain. It can radiate to the back, shoulders, jaw, or down the arm.
Simultaneously, individuals often report feelings of lightheadedness, clamminess, or perspiration. Nausea and shortness of breath may also accompany these symptoms.
The Meaning of Cardiac Chest Pain:
Cardiac chest pain indicates that the heart is deprived of the blood and oxygen it requires. Over time, cholesterol from your diet adheres to your blood vessel walls, including those supplying the heart, resulting in a condition known as atherosclerosis
Initially, the coronary arteries may be partially obstructed, causing chest pain only during exertion when the heart needs more blood. This form is referred to as stable angina. As the arteries become further occluded, chest pain can occur at rest or without provocation. This condition, known as unstable angina, happens because even at rest, the heart isn’t receiving sufficient blood and oxygen to function properly.
In the event of a complete blockage in one of your coronary arteries, either from fatty deposits or a blood clot, you will experience severe chest pain, along with the aforementioned symptoms. This constitutes a heart attack.
Responding to Cardiac Chest Pain:
If you experience chest pain, it’s imperative to call emergency services (triple zero or 000) immediately. Timely treatment is the most critical factor affecting your chances of survival during a heart attack. Do not consult your GP or pharmacist if you are encountering chest pain.
Treating Cardiac Chest Pain:
Since cardiac chest pain is a symptom, addressing the underlying cause is essential. Short-term and long-term treatments for the root causes of chest pain are available.
For the short-term management of unstable angina, you will likely be prescribed medications to slow your heart rate (beta blockers) and anti-platelet drugs to thin your blood. In the case of a heart attack, hospitalization is necessary, where you may receive blood-thinning medication, a stent, or even bypass surgery.
For long-term management of cardiac chest pain, you will be encouraged to make lifestyle changes, including weight loss, increased physical activity, reduced consumption of fatty and salty foods, smoking cessation, and moderation in alcohol intake. You may also receive medications such as aspirin to prevent blood clotting in your coronary arteries, beta-blockers to improve heart function, and ACE inhibitors to lower blood pressure and enhance your overall well-being.
Following a risk assessment for a heart attack, you might be offered stents or coronary artery bypass surgery.
For relief from the pain itself, you may be provided with Glyceryl Trinitrate (GTN) spray, which you can apply under your tongue as chest pain initiates. This spray widens your blood vessels, enhancing blood flow to your heart and alleviating pain. In an ambulance or at the hospital, you may also receive morphine to alleviate discomfort.
At Southern Cardiology Group, we are committed to helping you understand and manage cardiac chest pain effectively. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact us. Your health and well-being are our top priorities.
115 Frankston – Flinders Rd
Frankston VIC 3199
The following transport lines have routes that pass near Frankston-Flinders Rd / Golf Links Rd (Frankston South)
Bus: 775, 776, 782, 783, 791
T: (03) 9783 3684
F: (03) 9770 0325
info@southerncardiology.com.au
Southern Cardiology Group
115 Frankston – Flinders Rd
Frankston VIC 3199
Mon: 8:30 am – 4:30 pm
Tue: 8:30 am – 4:30 pm
Wed: 8:30 am – 4:30 pm
Thu: 8:30 am – 4:30 pm
Fri: 8:30 am – 4:30 pm
Sat: Closed
Sun: Closed
Public Holidays: Closed
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