| Massive difference between heartburn, heart attack: Dr TS Kler | | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Aug 12: Chest discomfort, pain, shortness of breath is symptoms associated with angina or even heart attack.
However, these symptoms also overlap with one of the most common and relatively safe condition experienced by people every now and then -- heart burn or acid indigestion and reflux.
This is why often people experiencing a heart attack may confuse their symptoms for a simple case of acid reflux, and can land themselves in acute trouble.
Vice versa, a chest pain caused by acid indigestion can also be confused for a heart attack by some patients. Often, we meet patients experiencing chest discomfort due to acid reflux who visit a cardiologist to make sure there is nothing serious about their condition.
"For the record, heartburn has nothing to do with the heart, despite its name. Heart burn is the term used for acid indigestion that affects the oesophagus or food pipe. Since the latter is situated just next to the heart in the human body, a discomfort in the food pipe gives you discomfort in the chest.
This is also why the symptoms arising from a heart related issue is often confused by people for an acidity concern.
Some people may even mistake heartburn for a bout of angina (discomfort caused due to reduced supply of blood to the heart) or heart attack"; says Dr. TS Kler, currently working as Executive Director (Cardiac Sciences), HOD Cardiology, Director Electrophysiology at Fortis Escorts Heart Institute & Research Centre, New Delhi. |
|
