CLENT INDEPENDENT

LOOK AFTER YOUR HEART AND IT WILL LOOK AFTER YOU!

 Is It GERD – or a Heart Attack? -It's important to consider the possibility that chest pain may mean a heart attack instead of heartburn. Symptoms associated with GERD can mimic the pain of a myocardial infarction (heart attack) or angina (chest pain caused by diminished blood flow through the coronary arteries), especially when the sensation is constricting rather than burning in nature. It can be dangerous to assume that your chest pain is caused by reflux. People with known reflux disease should always seek medical attention if they experience chest discomfort brought on by exercise, which may signal either angina or a heart attack.

How can you be sure that you have heartburn, not a heart attack? The main thing to determine is the severity and length of your chest pain. If it's a severe, pressing, or squeezing discomfort, it may be a heart attack. And heart attack pain lasts a while. If it goes away in 5–10 minutes, it's probably not a heart attack. It could be angina, however, which does require a visit to the doctor — and treatment. So it's important not to dismiss chest tightness, especially if it follows physical exercise.