Chest Pain

Chest pain is a concerning symptom because it’s a common sign of serious heart conditions like a heart attack. At Desert Cardiovascular Consultants in Las Vegas, Nevada, skilled cardiovascular physician Zia Khan, MD, FACC, FSCAI, wants to find the underlying cause of your chest pain so he can provide the most effective care. Desert Cardiovascular Consultants is a one-stop shop offering testing and treatments for cardiovascular conditions. Call today or schedule your chest pain consultation online.

When should I worry about chest pain?

You should always worry about chest pain. Though you can develop chest pain from many causes, it’s not something you should ignore because it’s a symptom of life-threatening conditions like a heart attack.

Chest pain includes any type of pain that occurs in your chest. It may feel like a tightness, squeezing, or crushing sensation. The pain may radiate into your arms or neck and last a few seconds, hours, or months. 

If you have chest pain when exercising, you have a condition called angina. This type of chest pain occurs because your heart isn’t getting enough oxygen, and a sign of a heart problem. 

You should call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room if your chest pain lasts longer than five minutes and causes other symptoms like shortness of breath or dizziness.

What heart-related conditions cause chest pain?

Chest pain is a common symptom of heart conditions. Examples of heart conditions and diseases that cause chest pain include:

• Heart attack
• Coronary artery disease (CAD)
• Pericarditis
• Cardiomyopathy
• Valvular heart disease
• Heart failure
• Aortic aneurysm

Desert Cardiovascular Consultants is a full-service, all-inclusive cardiology practice that offers advanced cardiology diagnostic testing to find the root cause of chest pain. 

What tests do I need when I have chest pain?

Dr. Khan conducts a thorough evaluation when you come in with chest pain to determine what type of testing you need to identify the cause of your symptom. Testing options include:

Stress testing

Stress testing is a heart test that shows the rhythm of your heart when it’s pumping hard. 

Echocardiogram

An echocardiogram is an ultrasound test that looks at the structure and function of your heart. 

Coronary angiography

A coronary angiography is an X-ray that uses contrast dye to see how blood flows through your coronary (heart) arteries. 

Cardiac intravascular ultrasound

Cardiac intravascular ultrasound is an advanced diagnostic test that uses a tiny ultrasound wand to evaluate your heart from the inside, looking for narrowing or blockages in the coronary arteries. 

What are the treatments for chest pain?

Dr. Khan customizes your chest pain treatment plan based on the underlying cause. Initially, he may recommend lifestyle changes like eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly, and maintaining a healthy weight.

He may also prescribe medication to manage heart disease or perform an interventional cardiology procedure to fix the heart problem. 

Call Desert Cardiovascular Consultants today or click the online booking button to get help for your chest pain.