Conditions other than coronary artery disease and heart attack that cause chest pain
While chest pain is typical of a heart attack and coronary artery disease, it may also be caused by:
· Digestive system problems.
- Stomach acid moving upward into the esophagus (esophageal reflux or heartburn)
- Muscle spasm of the esophagus
- Gallbladder disease
- A sore in the lining of the stomach or small intestine (peptic ulcer)
· Inflammation.
- Inflammation of the membrane surrounding the lungs (pleurisy)
- Inflammation of the membrane covering the heart (pericarditis)
· Heart, lung, and heart valve problems.
- A tear in the wall of the aorta (aortic dissection)
- Narrowing of the aortic valve (aortic stenosis)
- A blood clot in one of the arteries of the lungs (pulmonary embolism)
· Other causes.
- Panic, anxiety, stress, or depression
- Shingles (herpes zoster), a reactivation of the chicken pox virus that causes pain and a rash
- Pain in the bones and/or muscles of the chest wall
| Author: | Robin Parks, MS | Last Updated: February 26, 2008 |
| Medical Review: | Caroline S. Rhoads, MD - Internal Medicine Stephen Fort, MD, MRCP, FRCPC - Interventional Cardiology | |
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