Heart attack or heartburn — symptoms Similar

Saturday May 9, 2009 (foodconsumer.org) -- Telling the difference between a simple case of heartburn and a potentially deadly heart attack can be a critical challenge.

While some heart attacks are sudden and intense, most heart attacks start off slow with minor chest discomfort which can be confused with heartburn, say doctors.

Often people affected aren’t sure what’s wrong and wait too long before getting help, says the American Heart Association (AHA) website.

While chest discomfort is the primary signal for a heart attack, other symptoms include pain in the arms, back, neck, jaw or stomach. Shortness of breath, cold sweat and nausea are also symptoms to watch for.

Making matters worse is that some people who have heart disease will also have heartburn, said Dr. Ravi Dave of the University of California, Los Angeles.

“It’s often difficult for people to tell the difference,” said Ravi in a HealthDay news report. “Those are the patients who don’t want to say ‘Oh, this is just heartburn’ and not worry about it,” he said.

In normal heartburn, stomach acid moves up into the esophagus and causes irritation. It is always better to overreact, health professionals agree, than to under-react.

The AHA stresses that minutes matter most when symptoms appear. Even if you’re not sure it’s a heart attack, have it checked out — tell a doctor about your symptoms. They advise people “Don’t wait more than five minutes to dial 9-1-1.”

If people have heartburn on a regular basis after eating a specific food, said Dave, such as pizza, then the food is generally the culprit.

However, if they are experiencing heartburn and have not eaten any of the foods thought responsible, they should call for medical help, he said.

Patients usually get heartburn about 30 to 45 minutes after a meal, said Dr. Ronnie Fass, at the University of Arizona. If the heartburn is accompanied by other symptoms, he said, it could be a more serious problem.

“If you have heartburn, and it’s associated with symptoms such as pain during swallowing, difficulty swallowing, loss of appetite or throwing up blood,” said Fass, “then you have to see a doctor right away, within the next 24 to 48 hours.”

Fass said that these symptoms could indicate damage to the esophagus or even cancer.

Dave said that if heartburn accompanies exercise, “That is a huge red flag.” If the heartburn does not improve despite antacids or if heartburn comes with other symptoms such as shortness of breath, you should see a doctor, said Dave.

(By Sheilah Downey, and edited by Heather Kelley)