Chest Pain

Cardiac Causes

1. Myocardial Ischemia or Infarction (Heart Attack)

   • Reduced blood flow to the heart muscle due to blocked coronary arteries.
   • Often presents with ST-segment changes (elevation or depression), T-wave inversions, or pathological Q waves.

2. Arrhythmias

   • Abnormal heart rhythms like atrial fibrillation, ventricular tachycardia, or premature beats.
   • May show irregular patterns, absent P waves, or wide QRS complexes.

3. Pericarditis

   • Inflammation of the pericardium.
   • EKG may show diffuse ST-segment elevation and PR-segment depression.

4. Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM)

   • Thickened heart muscle, often genetic.
   • EKG findings can include left ventricular hypertrophy, deep Q waves, or T-wave inversions.

5. Heart Failure or Left Ventricular Hypertrophy

   • Enlarged or weakened heart may show voltage criteria for hypertrophy or conduction delays.
6. Congenital Heart Defects
   • Structural abnormalities like atrial or ventricular septal defects.

Etiologies

Digital World Medical School
© 2025