Chest Pain

Emergencies

Yes	Do you have any of the following symptoms that require emergency treatment? Call 911 or other emergency services immediately.

• Chest discomfort or pain is crushing or squeezing, feels like a heavy weight on the chest, or is occurring with any of the following symptoms:
  • Sweating
  • Shortness of breath
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Pain that spreads from the chest to the back, neck, jaw, upper belly, or one or both shoulders or arms (see an illustration of chest pain)
  • Dizziness or feeling like you are going to faint (lightheadedness)
  • A fast, slow, or irregular heartbeat
• Shock
• Moderate to severe difficulty breathing or severe shortness of breath
• Severe fatigue with any other symptoms of a heart attack
• Angina that has been diagnosed by your doctor but has not gone away after using your home treatment plan

After calling 911 or other emergency services:

• If the person becomes unconscious, see Rescue Breathing and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) in the topic Dealing With Emergencies.
• If the person is awake, alert, not vomiting, and not allergic to aspirin, have the person chew and swallow 1 adult aspirin (325 mg) or 4 low-dose aspirin (80 mg each) before emergency medical personnel such as paramedics arrive. Be sure to tell emergency personnel that aspirin has been taken.
• Remember it is important to have the person taken to the hospital by emergency personnel because his or her condition may get worse on the way.

NOTE: If a person collapses in a public place, call 911 and then ask if anyone knows CPR or if there is an automatic external defibrillator (AED) nearby.

Check Your Symptoms

If you answer yes to any of the following questions, click on the "Yes" in front of the question for information about how soon to see a health professional.

Review health risks that may increase the seriousness of your symptoms.

Yes	Have you been diagnosed with angina and your angina is occurring more often or is getting worse?
Yes	Have you had symptoms that you think may be related to a problem with your heart, but all symptoms are gone now?
Yes	Have you had a recent injury to the chest?
Yes	Do you have pain when you breathe but you do not have symptoms of a heart attack?
Yes	Do you have pain in your chest muscles or ribs (chest wall pain)? Note: Pain may or may not increase with coughing or deep breathing.
Yes	Do you have pain in your chest and a fever?
Yes	Do you have pain with a band-shaped rash?
Yes	Have you had mild pain in your chest without symptoms of a heart attack?
Yes	Do you think your chest pain may be caused by a medicine?

Other Symptoms to Watch For

Do you have any of the following symptoms?

• Pain that started in the upper belly and may be caused by heartburn: Go to the topic Heartburn.
• Pain that is actually located in the back or neck: Go to the topic Back Problems and Injuries or Neck Problems and Injuries.
• Repeated pain in your chest or fullness or tightness that may be caused by hyperventilation: Go to the topic Hyperventilation.

If a visit to a health professional is not needed immediately, see the Home Treatment section for self-care information.

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Author:	Jan Nissl, RN, BS	Last Updated: April 27, 2007
Medical Review:	William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine H. Michael O'Connor, MD - Emergency Medicine
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