Angina or imagination?

Question

I have been having discomfort in the chest area for about 2 years now (not consistently but once or twice a day, in different areas). Occasionally I have heart palipitaions. After a meal, I feel as if my heart is weaker than normal, and last year during a very cold and dark winter I was having this senstion almost consistantly. I am only 23 years old (male) and I the doctor has said that it's probably nothing even after an EKG. Still, I have been a smoker for 5 years and I have a family history of heart conditions. My uncle died last spring of a heart attack and my cousin who is in his mid 30's just had a mild heart attack (and survived) last week.

My question is could this be angina? Possibly all psychological? If not, what can I do to avoid the feeling (besides quiting smoking. I'm working on that one already.)?

Answer 1

You'd think this would be enough indication to quit smoking. This in itself has been proven to aid in heart problems. But that's up to you. Angina can take a lot of different faces, no two are the same but, with a stress test and nuke medicine your just about out of the woods then.
You have some nerves that run up your esophagus that can act like an angina when you have stomach problems, this should be looked at too. Also upper bronchial conditions (caused by smoking) irritations (asthma) from again, smoking. Pericardia implications around the heart, again from the irritation from guess? smoking. Stomach disorders from your old friend smoking along with some of the foods you eat. I think you have a lot of issues to think about, the first is stop smoking, a few things may go away.

Answer 2

You only go for ECG, its very not enough. For palpitations, the only way to 'catch' it is by doing 24 hours Holter test. This small machine will be attached to you & record ur heart beat for the whole day. You are a smoker and have family history. Smoking trigger palpitations & heart disease, please quite if you can.You also have family history of heart disease, you should take care of your diet, lifestyle & exercise regularly.
Anyway, you are only 23 years old. The chance of you to have a heart disease is very rare. Angina is chest pain-its a symptoms of blockages in the heart (heart disease). You are too young to get heart disease.

You have to see a cardiologist. He will tell you to do Holter test (to check ur palpitations), treadmill (to see if you can get any heartbeat changes during exercise/under stress) and also Echocardiography (ultrasound of the heart. Its to check your heart valves and muscles;whether you have mitral valve prolapse, hole in the heart, leaking valves, etc).

Most of the time; the cause of palpitations are: smoking, too much caffeine (tea/coffee), anxiety& stress. Other will be youe heart nerves. If its your heart nerves, usually its nothing so life threatening too.
If you get it often, the cardiologist will just put you under 1 medication: to regularize your heart beat.
if its once in a while only: No medication. Routine heart check-up (once a year or so) is more than enough.

Im a cardiac technologist in the hospital, i hope my advice help you

Answer 3

The best thing for you do to is to have a complete physical. This needs to include a chest X-ray. You said you were a smoker, so it is not out of the question to consider this may have something to do with your lungs. There is also a strong family history of heart problems. If I were you I would see another Dr. too. Good Luck and try not to stress out , that will only make things worse.

Answer 4

This is the most random question I think I've read on here. I personally like imagination. My real name is Gina and I used that as my tag for a while.