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Have you ever been through this situation wherein you had chest pain, you visited your doctor and they suggested an ECG report, but your ECG report turns out to be normal and your doctor suggests more tests? You may be confused and find a normal ECG but chest pain unusual.
The secret is that whenever you have a chest pain, it is not always due to an abnormality in the heart. Studies suggest that half of the chest pain may occur due to other factors. (Lenfant, C.,2010) Thus, suffering from chest pain but with a normal ECG can be possible, so let’s explore our Madhavbaug doctor’s 6 reasons why more tests for chest pain are required.
If you suffer chest pain in the morning and get an ECG report in the afternoon which is normal, then it might not have been able to record the heart’s activity in the morning. For this your doctor may suggest more test for chest pain, which is a Holter ECG monitoring. Traditional ambulatory Holter monitors are simple devices that continuously register the ECG. They can be short- (24–48 hours) or long-duration (1–2 weeks) devices. (Galli, A., Ambrosini, F., & Lombardi, F. 2016)
ECG records the electrical activity of the heart at rest. This is important, but with this, recording the electrical activity of a functional heart is equally important.
This can be done through a stress test. A stress test helps us to know whether the heart itself is receiving a sufficient amount of blood or not to deliver blood to the whole body. In short, an exercise stress test can reveal problems with blood flow within your heart, and so it is an important test for chest pain.
The ECG graph is unable to show the exact location of the heart muscle damage for which another test, called the MPI, is required. A Myocardial Perfusion Imaging (MPI) Study is a type of stress test that uses PET imaging of a patient’s heart before and after exercise to test the effect of physical stress on the flow of blood through the coronary arteries and the heart muscle. Images produced in MPI are called ‘perfusion images’, and they show the exact area of the perfused heart muscle.
A normal ECG but chest pain may indicate early plaque build-up in the coronary arteries. (Bugiardini, R. and Merz, C.N.B., 2005). Angiography, a further test for chest pain, is carried out to diagnose and treat blood vessel diseases and conditions. After visualising the coronary arteries, if blockages are noted, your doctor may suggest surgery.
Angiography कब और किसको करवानी चाहिए? | कब ज़रूरी है Angiography? | Heart Blockage Explained
A positive troponin assay is a blood test showing high levels of heart muscle proteins. It shows actual heart muscle cell death or injury. An ECG only shows heart electrical activity, meaning a patient can have a normal ECG while troponin reveals hidden damage. (Murryam, S., Cook, P., & Ellis, S. 2022)
Studies suggest that half of the chest pain may occur due to other factors. (Lenfant, 2010). Most of the times it may be gastro-oesophageal reflux, which is an oesophageal disease. For such conditions, another test for chest pain includes upper GI endoscopy or EGD, which is a procedure where your doctor uses a flexible, lighted tube with a camera to examine the oesophagus, stomach, and duodenum (first part of the small intestine).
“Your heart whispers Chest pain, listen to it with tests.”
Don’t Google Chest pain. Get an ECG, EPS, Stress test, Echo, Troponin tests done.
Dr. Shradha and other Madhavbaug doctors believe in assessing the root cause and providing holistic care based upon Madhavbaug’s SHS programme. With Panchakarma detoxification, personalised diet and exercise care along with modern diagnostic tools, SHS programme is an integrated solution. If you are suffering from chest pain and want to know more, book a consultation with Dr Shradha or your nearest Madhavbaug centre today.
Chest pain is a very common symptom and mainly addresses urgent medical attention. The first thing which comes to mind is ECG, and when the ECG is normal, people tend to feel relieved, but that’s not all. Chest pain with a normal ECG may need further investigations to be done in order to find the root cause. This can be done at your nearest Madhavbaug clinic or hospital. With advanced modern diagnostic tools like stress tests, etc., we have continuous monitoring technologies which can detect even the slightest fluctuations in the readings that can easily help prevent the occurrence of future complications. Visit today to meet a healthier you.
Q.1 Can ECG be normal before a heart attack?
Changes in electrical activity do not always lead to cardiovascular diseases. Most people presenting with acute chest pain may have a normal ECG.
Q.2 What is the first test for a heart attack?
An electrocardiogram (EKG) is the most common first test, and this may be done as soon as you arrive at the hospital. An EKG can tell if you are having a heart attack. Based on the results of the EKG, your doctor may order additional tests and ask questions about your medical history and perform a physical exam.
Q.3 Does a normal ECG mean no blockage?
A normal ECG does NOT always mean your arteries are clear. ECG cannot reliably detect mild to moderate heart blockages that are not affecting blood flow at rest.
Q.4 Can MRI detect chest pain?
A cardiac MRI can help your healthcare team diagnose heart conditions such as a heart attack or damage to heart tissue.
Q.5 Which is more important, ECG or Echo?
ECG is quick and useful to test electrical activity of the heart (such as heart rhythm). But echo gives a detailed picture of the structure of the heart (eg, valve problems or poor pumping). If your doctor believes you have a serious heart condition, he or she may recommend both.
References
Disclaimer: The content on this website is for informational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for medical advice. Please consult a qualified Madhavbaug Ayurvedic doctor before starting any treatment.
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