Chest Pain

Chest pain represents a wide differential — cardiac (acute coronary syndrome, stable angina), pulmonary (pulmonary embolism, pneumothorax, pneumonia), gastrointestinal (gastroesophageal reflux, oesophageal spasm), musculoskeletal (costochondritis, muscle strain), and anxiety. The character, duration, triggers and associated symptoms guide the differential. Acute severe chest pain — especially with sweating, nausea, breathlessness or radiation to the arm or jaw — is a medical emergency and needs same-day evaluation.

• Acute coronary syndrome / heart attack — pressure-like central pain, sweating, nausea, radiation; requires emergency evaluation.
• Stable angina — exertional chest tightness relieved by rest.
• Gastroesophageal reflux — burning sensation, related to meals or lying flat.
• Costochondritis — sharp localised pain reproducible by pressing on the chest wall.
• Anxiety / panic attack — common, but a diagnosis of exclusion.
• Pulmonary embolism — sudden, often with breathlessness; emergency.

For acute symptoms, troponin is the cornerstone — ordered in the emergency department, not at home. For chronic risk assessment, Mediora interprets the lipid panel (LDL, HDL, triglycerides), HbA1c, blood pressure, hsCRP, kidney function — the cluster that drives long-term cardiovascular risk.