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Can A Heart Attack Be Left Untreated?
Question: I think I might have had a small heart attack yesterday (pain lasted about 1 hour)
Since all is well now, I did not go see a doctor. Does it make sense to go today or tomorrow or should I wait until it happens again. I am now taking aspirin as a prevention.
Since all is well now, I did not go see a doctor. Does it make sense to go today or tomorrow or should I wait until it happens again. I am now taking aspirin as a prevention.
Brief Answer:
I would explain as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Welcome and thank you for asking on HCM!
I would explain that there are different causes of chest pain, besides a heart attack:
- lung disorder
- musculo-skeletal pain
- esophageal spasms, etc.
I would recommend consulting with your attending physician as soon as possible for a careful physical exam and some tests:
- a chest X ray study
- a resting ECG and cardiac markers (Troponin, CKMB) which result elevated in case of heart attack even after some days.
- some blood lab tests (complete blood count, PCR, sedimentation rate for inflammation, kidney and liver function tests, blood lipid profile, fasting glucose).
In case of suspicions of myocardial ischemia, further tests should be done:
- a cardiac stress test
- a coronary angiography
Aspirin is a good treatment, but not the only one. It is necessary performing the above mentioned investigations, in order to determine your clinical situation and the possible cause of your chest pain.
Hope to have been helpful!
Best wishes,
Dr. Iliri
I would explain as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Welcome and thank you for asking on HCM!
I would explain that there are different causes of chest pain, besides a heart attack:
- lung disorder
- musculo-skeletal pain
- esophageal spasms, etc.
I would recommend consulting with your attending physician as soon as possible for a careful physical exam and some tests:
- a chest X ray study
- a resting ECG and cardiac markers (Troponin, CKMB) which result elevated in case of heart attack even after some days.
- some blood lab tests (complete blood count, PCR, sedimentation rate for inflammation, kidney and liver function tests, blood lipid profile, fasting glucose).
In case of suspicions of myocardial ischemia, further tests should be done:
- a cardiac stress test
- a coronary angiography
Aspirin is a good treatment, but not the only one. It is necessary performing the above mentioned investigations, in order to determine your clinical situation and the possible cause of your chest pain.
Hope to have been helpful!
Best wishes,
Dr. Iliri
Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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