Chest Pain

Chest pain is usually not caused by the heart, but it can sometimes be a sign of a serious condition like a heart attack.

Visit the Emergency Department if you have any of the following:

• Sudden, severe persistent chest pain, especially if it feels like a squeezing or heavy sensation.
• Chest pain going up to the jaw, neck or arms.
• Chest pain accompanied by shortness of breath, sweating, nausea, giddiness, or a rapid or irregular heartbeat.
• Chest pain increasing in frequency, intensity and/or duration.
• Chest pain that is worse with physical activity (e.g. Walking a short distance, climbing stairs).
• Chest pain with a history of heart disease.

Call 995 for ongoing severe chest pain with any of the above concerning features. Do not drive yourself to the hospital, even if you are not coming in by ambulance. Highlight to the registration counter in the Emergency Department that your primary problem is chest pain so that an ECG (heart tracing) is done early for you.

Visit the GP or Polyclinic if you have any of the following:

• Mild persistent chest pain without the above features.
• Chest pain with overlying vesicular rash.

What you can do:

• Pain relief: Over-the-counter pain relievers like paracetamol or ibuprofen can be taken.
• Strenuous activities: Avoid performing strenuous activities that may worsen the chest pain.
• Medication adherence: If you are on medications after a previous heart attack (e.g. blood thinners), take them regularly as prescribed. Do not stop medications without medical advice, as this may increase your risk of another heart attack.
• Risk factor screening and control: Follow up with your GP or polyclinic doctor for health screening (e.g. cholesterol and diabetes) and treatment to reduce risk of heart disease.
• Diet and lifestyle: Adopt a healthy diet (e.g. low fat, low salt) to help control cholesterol and blood pressure.
• Smoking cessation: Stopping smoking will greatly reduce the risk of heart disease.
• Stop vaping: Vaping may increase the risk of heart attack.

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