# When chest pain becomes life-threatening: a cardiologist's explanation

Not every pain in the chest area is related to the heart, but in some cases this symptom may indicate serious conditions requiring emergency medical care.

As reported by BAKU.WS, cardiologist Christine Jellis discussed this with the Health portal.

According to the doctor, many people primarily associate chest pain with a heart attack, whereas the cause of the discomfort can be dozens of different conditions — from heartburn to a panic attack.

The specialist particularly recommended paying attention to pressing or squeezing pain in the center of the chest. If such pain is accompanied by shortness of breath, dizziness, cold sweats, irregular heartbeat, as well as discomfort in the arms, neck, shoulder blades, or jaw — this could be a sign of a heart attack.

The cardiologist also pointed out other dangerous conditions that can cause chest pain: aortic dissection, pulmonary embolism, and pneumothorax. These conditions typically present with sudden and intense pain and require emergency medical care.

At the same time, chest pain does not always indicate a life-threatening condition. Acid reflux (the backflow of stomach acid into the esophagus), inflammation of the intercostal cartilage, chest muscle strain, and panic attacks can also cause similar discomfort.

Christine Jellis emphasized that it is extremely difficult for people to distinguish a serious cardiac problem from a relatively harmless cause on their own.

"We do not expect patients to be able to distinguish a heart attack from a chest muscle strain on their own," the doctor stated.

The specialist strongly recommended that in the case of newly occurring or worsening chest pain accompanied by shortness of breath, weakness, and deterioration of overall condition, people should not self-medicate and should seek medical attention as soon as possible. She noted that some cardiovascular diseases require immediate treatment.