This ? concerns health --- physical health. Acid indigestion or the onset of a heart attack?

If you have what you think is severe acid indigestion, could this be the sign of the onset of a heart attack? How can you find out for sure? Many yrs. ago, my paternal grandfather died of a heart attack ---- he thought it was just acid indigestion --- but it turned out to be the onset of a heart attack. He had no chance to find out for sure --- not too long after he had the sensation in his chest --- he died --- the very same day.
He was only 51 yrs. old and I never got the chance to know him.

Anyway, that's what got me to thinking about it. I really would like to know the answer to this. I'll check on the net but I was just wondering if anyone out there had any thoughts on the subject.


Thanks.

hi there,
first of all, a heart attack can take many form, most commonly pain but can be a burning sensation in the center of the chest, hence the confusion with indigestion.

Indigestion is a vague term and I think heart burn is what you mean.

The difference is that heart burn (cause by acid coming up the esophagus) is a burning sensation that you feel in the center of the chest that actually "moves up" your chest to reach your throat. It can be immediately relieved by a glass of milk or a liquid antacid. It gets worse when you lay down and my cause you to cough or choke if severe.
non of the above apply in the case of a heart attack. in the latter case, it is a vague sense of burning in the chest that is accompanied by other symptoms as difficulty in breathing, sweating, or pain. that's why people often say its the worse indigestion i have ever had, because its different than the usual.

The best way to discern the difference is to get an EKG immediately. An EKG should be able to show if it is actively taking place. In addition, many hospitals do blood tests to look for other changes that occur during heart attacks that may not be apparent in an EKG. Hope that helps.

You could probably try aspirin and if it doesn't work. . . get to the ER. A friend of mine thought he had indigestion and died of a heart attack.

My sister died 4 years ago....3 days after Christmas. She called me the night before and told me she had TERRIBLE acid reflux/indigestion. It really was a heart attack.

But there are many ways to take care of yourself. To have tests to check your heart and to check your digestive system.

Now, my sister had had indigestion for years. And she had high blood pressure, too. But she didn't take care of herself. So, I would say 90+% of the time, you have the chance to keep something like that from happening. You have to take care of yourself.

Cut down on the animal fat... take an antacid.

About a month ago I woke up in the middle of the night with acid indigestion, I took some Gavescon but the pain intensified. My wife called the ambulance, I took an aspirin and I was hospitalized and had an angioplasty a few hours later. A 99% blockage was opened. There's no fooling or waiting with chest pain.

This is a common complaint among patients (many times though its acid indigestion thought to be a heart attack). Regardless, patients who suspect they are having a heart attack should chew and swallow a 325mg aspirin and seek IMMEDIATE medical attention. Allow the physician to determine the diagnosis. Taking action could save yours or another's life.

You could have GERD; gastroesophageal reflux disease which can be controlled or managed by meds and diet change.

A EGD could be done: esophageal gastroduodenoscopy can be done on outpatient basis via endocrine MD. That will tell them it you have a ulcer.

As for Heart attack: you should feel chest pain, left sided arm numbness or tingling, jaw pain, Headache, sweating, nausea, fatigue; any of the above can happen all together or just a few. If you take a aspirin during this time 320mg, and the pain is not relieved I would seek help or further MD appointment.

However, if it's a ulcer or GERD, aspirin only irritates the gastric lining in your stomach more r/t the increased acid build up already.

The principal ways you can differentiate between "heartburn" and a heart attack are:
(1) Incipient heart attacks will be accompanied by a raised pulse rate (as the brain attempts to increase the out-flow of blood from the heart, -to meet its own demands, that of the heart, and all other organs of the body), - unless of course a too slow pulse rate IS causing the attack. Typically, beta -blockers would cause that.
(2) Anti-acid medication will alleviate heartburn, but have no effect on the onset of heart attack.
(3) A 'puffer-spray" or a tablet slipped under the tongue will have an alleviating effect on the heart-attack, depending on the severity. These medications are from your doctor.
(4) Oxygen will lessen the pains of incipient heart attack, but will have no effect on heartburn.
(5) Heart attacks will (MAY) cause clamminess and shortage of breath. Heartburn won't.
(6) Heartburn will gradually disappear, but heart attacks will move swiftly from the indigestion-like burning pains to a more generalized cold, dull, radiating pain, spreading to the neck, shoulders, and arms.
(7) Physical stress (running, climbing stairs, etc,) will have no effect on heartburn But they will exacerbate an incipient heart attack.
(8) If you have a digital monitor, and are able to take blood pressures and pulse readings, a heart attack is clearly indicated by a LOWERING of pulse pressure (systolic minus diastolic), a LOWERING of systolic pressure, a LOWERING of diastolic pressure, and a LOWERING of mean arterial pressure. (That's "diastolic + one third of pulse pressure") This happens as the pulse gets faster and faster, but is failing to pump the required amount of blood.