Q. How do you distinguish heartburn from a heart attack?
Doctor Answer is medically reviewed by SecondMedic medical review team.
Distinguishing heartburn from a heart attack can be tricky, but there are several tell-tale signs that can help. Heartburn is a burning sensation in the chest caused by stomach acid rising up into the esophagus. It typically causes discomfort or pain in the area between your breastbone and your abdomen and may worsen after eating or when lying down. In comparison, a heart attack occurs when an artery supplying blood to the heart becomes blocked due to plaque buildup, leading to oxygen deprivation of part of your heart muscle. The main symptom of a heart attack is chest pain or pressure, which is often described as squeezing, pressure and tightness. Other sensations can include shortness of breath and nausea/vomiting. Additionally, with both conditions you may experience sweating and dizziness; however, unlike with heartburn these will commonly occur during episodes of chest pain associated with a potential cardiac emergency rather than intermittently on their own without additional symptoms like feeling bloated after eating or having difficulty swallowing for instance. Knowing how to identify the differences between these two conditions could save someone's life if they ever find themselves facing such an episode so it's important to familiarize yourself in order to recognize any differences you might experience should either one occur!
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