Dr. Swati Gupta at SKG Heart Center is your cardiologist when you're having chest pain in Sugar Land or Houston, TX. Chest pain can disrupt your day and be alarming and scary when you don't know what's causing it. Read about angina and whenever you're concerned about your chest pain contact us for an appointment.

Angina

Chest pain can stop you in your tracks. Chest pain, or angina, is considered an emergency, but it is not always a definitive sign of a heart attack. Angina is a symptom of coronary artery disease, and it means that the blood flow to your heart is constricted. This can happen when plaque builds up on the walls of the arteries. If you are overweight, have a family history, or smoke cigarettes you are at a higher risk for coronary artery disease.

How Do I Know It Is Serious?

If you're having chest pain do what you can to not panic, but you should always contact your doctor if you're concerned about your chest pain. Angina can feel like indigestion if you've never experienced it before, and most people describe a pressure or squeezing pain in the chest. For some people, the first sign you have coronary artery disease is unfortunately having a heart attack. Besides chest pain, other symptoms of a heart attack include:

• Shortness of breath
• Weakness
• Arm or shoulder pain
• Nausea
• Cold sweats

With chest pain and any of these symptoms, seek medical treatment immediately.

Treating Angina

When you have chest pain in Houston, TX, your treatment will always involve lifestyle changes to keep it from coming back. Your doctor's recommendations will include quitting smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, participating in regular exercise, and healthy eating. Some medications can help open up blood vessels to allow more blood flow and ease symptoms, and there are various types of heart surgery available if you need more intervention to restore your heart health.

SKG Heart Center is here to help you take control of your heart health if you're having chest pain in Sugar Land or Houston, TX. Contact us for an appointment with Dr. Swati Gupta at (713) 623-6555.