Chest pains

An echocardiogram tells you quite a lot - pumping strength/action in detail, health of the valves, size of heart, thickness of the walls. It can sometimes see any damage done to the heart by coronary damage - but cannot really see 'inside' the arteries.

To see that you need an angiogram where a small catheter is inroduced into a major vein, goes into the heart, dye is injected and its progress monitored. There is a CAT [less invasive] version but this is not always as clear.The catheterisation also allow the cardiologist to deal with some problems there and then.

I think your GP is making the correct recommendation because no test is risk free and the chances of you having heart disease are so low. Life is always risky and, and as you get older, you will find your body throwing more and more symptoms at you  as it wears out. You can worry about every one of them - or you spend that time having fun.

As I say - your risks are low (I've done some work in this area of risk assessmet professionally) but not zero. The better data you have - the better decisions can be. One of the things you must do is do a proper pain diary. You need to be v v clear about the type, duration and the activity before and during the pain. When you've looked for patterns - talk to the GP. Or pay for a pretty expensive test! Otr maybe identifiy a pulled muscle etc.

To give you an idea of your risk. Data for 2010 for males in the UK show that from the years 0-44, there was only a 1.4 on 100,000 chance of having cardiovascular disease. You are likely to have a lower risk than that average as you are closer to the lower risk end of the group. Compare this with a 1:9000 risk of being killed in a traffic accident. 

So, I think you can see why extensive/expensive tests are not worth doing for a tiny risk. But that risk is yours- if you want to spend your money that way: do? Me, if I were worried I'd also make this a wake up call on healthy diet/ not smoking etc

All the best - worry is a bugger. But try to be only 1.4 in 100,000 chance worried? ;-)

Good luck

It's east to get lost in the detail isn't it? On the one hand there's a ton of PR about 'what to do with chest pain' but not what the actual risks are!

But definitely don't ignore the pain - or crash through it! Remember that you could have a small thing wrong that could be easily trated. And most GPs will tell you that tummy problems really mimic heart disease.

Tons of good luck and btw your Grandad's age also helps reduce the chances of it being the heart. Go drink a glass of red wine: it's good for you!

I had a pain in my chest and in my back as if someone proded with a pin, also had a pain in the jaw. ECG`s did not show anything. I was a little puffed ( never smoked ), I have a great GP who refered me for and angigram consultant did the tests then told me I was seriously ill ALL 4 arteries where block up shot had 3 way by pass in 3 weeks. Afterwards I was told my need another in 10 years time ( its 8 years now ) do not want another by pass. Get GP to refer for angigram it will show up EVERYTHING good luck

I was 53 when I had my 3 way by pass. PLEASE remember this is a blog we are only giving our own experiences. An angagram will sort things out. I to had tension & stress palputations before by pass. At any age all sorts of problems leap out at us. Before my by pass the surgeon said you my get palputations when you lie down yes I did each morning after my surgeory ( 7 days in hospital ) I got them every day I had in tense tests all where ok .

Good luck if in doubt go for angigram its not pain full it will tell you

I was not trying to worry you, No harm in going back to doctors.

All the best

Dave

I have dilated cardiomyopathy, which means that my heart is enlarged and the heart muscle is not as strong as it should be, it becomes slack, like untoned muscle, this was caused by a virus when I was 16,(1981) the loss of muscle strength meant that the heart could not push all the blood out of the chambers and resulted in the blood clotting, causing a cerebral embolism and paralyis of the left hand side, due to the blood clot sticking in the brain, this was broken down by using Warfain (anti-coagulant) 1981. It also damaged the electrical pathway, causing a complete heart block, my heart could only beat at 44bpm, I now have no underlying heart rate, this condition is progressive and is only one example of cardiomyopathy, there are lots of different types.

I would advise that you contact the cardiomyopathy Association, they have a website and you can call them and speak to people with medical knowledge, )Heart Failure Nurses). The British Heart Founation also have expert teams that you can talk to, as advised, keep a diary and as much detail as you can to assist with diagnoses.

Don't give up as I know people that have had symptoms and been going to the GP repeatedly and not been diagnosed, as the GP's are not aware of all heart conditions, speak to some of the experts in the field, BHF & CMA explain your symptoms, if nothing else it will put your mind at rest and if they think you may have an undignosed condition can advise you on how to deal with your GP and what he should be looking for.

As mentioned by previous people anxiety, panic attacks and lots of conditons can cause similiar symptoms, you need to listen to your body, pain, , not feeling like doing anything are classic symptoms.

Although i was diagnosed at 16, I had GP's that thought it was despression, even though I didn't feel depressed, had fluid retention, muscular pains etc, I was under a heart consultant, but not heart failure specialist, no one picked up it was the condtion that had progressed.

Heart problems are split into different catergories, Cardiomyopathy, covers it in a broad spectrum, eg, dilated, Hypertrophic, Arrythmia (electrical problems, and many others, some are hereditary, some caused by viruses, there are also  congentital conditions. I am an outpatient at Papworth Hospital under the Transplant Team to help me manage the condition, they split heart disease into key areas, plumbling, eg, valves, arteries, veins, electical and muscular problems.

You could also have a holter test which is a portable ecg monitoring system, you are wired up for 24/48 hours , the tape is diagnosed for any abnormalities. I also had sharp pains in my chest, prior to being diagnosed, I would pursue this with your GP, chest xrays, blood tests, can show some abnormalities, but not all heart conditions.

Good Luck 

Nikki