Chest pain — which specialty
Pain, tightness, heaviness or a squeezing sensation in the chest.
Usually seen by
Cardiology
Other directions, depending on what comes with it:
- Respiratory medicine — if it worsens on deep breathing and comes with a cough
- Gastroenterology — if it burns behind the breastbone and relates to meals and lying down
- Rheumatology — if it is one exact spot that hurts when pressed
Not sure you have picked the right one? Start with general internal medicine — routing you to the right place is their job, not yours.
Go now, without waiting for an appointment, if any of these apply
- Chest pain lasting more than a few minutes, felt as pressure or squeezing
- Pain spreading to the jaw, the shoulder, or down the left arm
- Chest pain with cold sweating, nausea or breathlessness
- Sudden chest pain with marked breathlessness, especially after a long flight or after surgery
- Chest pain in someone with known heart disease that differs from their usual pattern
This list is not exhaustive and does not replace judgement on the spot. If something is clearly wrong and you are unsure, call your local emergency number or go to the nearest facility — waiting in order to be certain is the most dangerous way to spend the time.
What you will be asked — have the answers ready
- What kind: sharp, burning, heavy, squeezing
- What you were doing when it started
- How long it lasts and whether it spreads
- Whether rest eases it and exertion worsens it
- Whether there is breathlessness, sweating or nausea with it
A first appointment is short. Having these answers ready is the cheapest way to avoid a second visit that exists only to supply information.
Bring with you
- Any previous ECG
- A list of heart medicines
- Home blood pressure readings
What a first visit usually involves
- An ECG — usually done immediately, often before the history is complete
- Blood tests along the suspected line
- Admission for observation is possible even when the first results are not abnormal