Chest Pain — When to Worry and When to Get Help
Also described as chest tightness, chest pressure, chest discomfort.
Chest pain that lasts more than a few minutes, spreads to the arm, jaw or back, or comes with sweating, nausea or breathlessness is a medical emergency — call 044 2025 2025 or go to the nearest emergency department immediately. Not all chest pain is cardiac, but heart causes must be excluded first, and only tests can do that.
🚨 Get emergency care if you have
- •Pain or pressure lasting more than a few minutes, or coming and going
- •Pain spreading to the left arm, jaw, neck, shoulder or back
- •Cold sweat, nausea or vomiting alongside the pain
- •Breathlessness, light-headedness or fainting
- •A sense of crushing weight on the chest, or of impending doom
What causes chest pain?
Heart attack (myocardial infarction)
A blocked coronary artery starving heart muscle of oxygen. Every minute of delay causes permanent damage.
Angina
Chest pain from reduced blood flow to the heart, typically brought on by exertion and eased by rest.
Acid reflux (GERD)
Burning behind the breastbone, often after meals or when lying flat. Common, and frequently mistaken for cardiac pain.
Muscle or rib strain
Sharp, well-localised pain that worsens when you press the spot, twist or breathe deeply.
Anxiety or panic attack
Tightness with rapid breathing and palpitations. A diagnosis made only after cardiac causes are excluded.
How it is investigated
- ✓ECG — usually within minutes of arrival
- ✓Troponin blood test, to detect heart muscle injury
- ✓2D echocardiogram to assess pumping function
- ✓Treadmill test or CT coronary angiogram where the picture is unclear
Not every patient needs every test. The consultation decides which of these apply to you.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my chest pain is a heart attack or gas?▼
You cannot reliably tell them apart at home, and the consequence of guessing wrong is severe. Reflux pain tends to burn, follows meals and eases with antacids; cardiac pain tends to feel like pressure, may spread to the arm or jaw, and comes with sweating or breathlessness. If there is any doubt, treat it as cardiac and seek emergency care.
Can young people have a heart attack?▼
Yes. Heart attacks in people in their thirties and forties are increasingly common in India, particularly with diabetes, smoking, high cholesterol or a family history. Age alone should not reassure you.
What happens when I reach the emergency department with chest pain?▼
Iswarya Hospital's emergency team performs an ECG within minutes and takes blood for troponin. If a heart attack is confirmed, the 24×7 catheterisation lab performs emergency angioplasty, with a door-to-balloon target under 60 minutes.
This page is general health information, not a diagnosis or a substitute for a consultation. Symptoms overlap between harmless and serious conditions, and only an examination can tell them apart. If you are worried, see a doctor.
Plan your first visit
Not sure which specialist to see? Tell our care team the reason for your visit and we will help you choose.
- Bring previous prescriptions, relevant test reports or scan images, a medication list and photo ID.
- If you plan to use insurance, bring your policy details. OPD, tests and admission benefits depend on your individual plan and approval.
- Your first consultation determines which tests or treatments are needed; not everyone needs every test listed on this page.
Appointments are requests until confirmed. In a medical emergency, call 044 2025 2025 or go to the nearest emergency department.