Conditions That May Cause Heart Pain

The most common cause of heart pain is medically referred to as angina, a warning signal that the heart is not receiving an appropriate supply of blood or oxygen, typically during times of exercise or stress. But several other conditions may also bring discomfort to the heart muscle.

Identification

• The usual cause of a lack of blood flow is coronary artery disease (CAD), a condition brought on by atherosclerosis, a buildup of fatty deposits, called plaque, that clog the arteries and restrict the heart's receipt of blood.

Significance

• A heart attack is the most familiar of the conditions that may cause heart pain. When CAD is left untreated, a heart attack eventually takes place. "When the blood supply is completely cut off, the result is a heart attack, and the heart muscle begins to die," according to Stanford Hospital and Clinics.

Types

• Other potential reasons for heart pain include an aortic dissection, a life threatening condition where blood is forced through inner layers of a vessel that have separated. Discomfort also emanates from a coronary spasm, also known as Prinzmetal's angina, a stoppage of blood flow caused by spasmic arteries.

Causes

• Additional pain may come from pericarditis, an inflammation of the sac around the heart. "Myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart that often is caused by viral infection can cause chest pain," according to the Mayo Clinic. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (a thickening heart muscle) also may cause chest pain.

Considerations

• Some persons may have a heart attack and never recognize symptoms. This is called a "silent" heart attack.