Chest Pain

What to Expect at your Health Care Provider's Office

Emergency measures will be taken, if necessary. Hospitalization will be required in difficult or serious cases or when the cause of the pain is unclear.

The doctor will perform a physical examination and monitor your vital signs (temperature, pulse, rate of breathing, blood pressure). The physical examination will focus on the chest wall, lungs, and heart. Your doctor may ask questions like the following:

• Is the pain between the shoulder blades? Under the breastbone? Does the pain change location? Is it on one side only?
• How would you describe the pain? (Severe, tearing or ripping, sharp, stabbing, burning, squeezing, constricting, tight, pressure-like, crushing, aching, dull, heavy)
• Does it come on suddenly? Does the pain occur at the same time each day?
• Is the pain getting worse? How long does the pain last?
• Does the pain go from your chest into your shoulder, arm, neck, jaw, or back?
• Is the pain worse when you are breathing deeply, coughing, eating, bending?
• When you are exercising? Is the pain better after you rest? Is it completely relieved or just less pain?
• Is the pain better after you take nitroglycerin medication? After you drink milk or take antacids? After belching?
• What other symptoms are also present?

Diagnostic tests that may be performed include:

• Blood tests (such as LDH, LDH isoenzymes, CPK, CPK isoenzymes, Troponin, CBC, and blood differential)
• Cardiac catheterization
• ECG
• Exercise ECG
• Lung scan
• X-rays of the chest

More complex tests may be required depending on the difficulty of diagnosis or the suspected cause of the chest pain.