Free Article: Heartburn Or Heart Attack

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Is The Chest Pain Heartburn Or Heart Attack: How You Can Tell
By M. A. Fulmar

Although heartburn and heart attack are not at all related at times you can mistake one for the other and while having a heartburn will not kill you a heat attack can and therefore, it is very important to recognize the right symptoms and act immediately in order to save a life.

The Symptoms Of Heartburn And Heart Attack

Heartburn affects approximately 40% of Americans and therefore is one of the most common complain mostly because of the food intake, which is high in acidity and spices both number one enemies of heartburn. Heartburn occurs due to overflowing of the hydrochloric acid from the digestive tract to the esophagus, which irritates it and will give you the burning sensation in the chest and heart area.

Other common heartburn symptoms include pain in the breastbone and ribs, which leads many to believe that the heart causes it instead. Those who suffer from severe heartburn can have other symptoms as well such as a bitter taste in the mouth along with the pain, bloating, belching and flatulence.

Heart attack is caused by many reasons as well and that includes high cholesterol, excessive weight or other existing medical conditions for which you may be administering drugs. Common heart attack symptoms consist of pressure and pain in the chest area, which is usually confused with heartburn.

The Main Difference Between Heartburn And Heart Attack

When you will experience a heart attack you will have pain in the chest area but it will be more like tightness; the pain will spread over the shoulders and arms usually the left side and the patient will have shortness of breath as well. It is very important to learn and differentiate between the two in order to be able to save your or someone else life in the process.

Whether you have a severe heartburn or especially heart attack you need to call a doctor immediately. Even though both are serious diseases, heart attack can often be fatal if can treated as soon as possible; in many cases minutes of delay can cause severe damage to the brain and nervous system.

Helpful Tip

Heartburn and heart attack have the common chest pain to start with but they manifest very differently if you pay close attention to what the patient is describing while experiencing the pain.

Also heartburn and heart attack can be prevented by a sensible diet and medications; while the medications for heartburn can be purchased in any drug store without a prescription, a qualified doctor must prescribe medications that will prevent a heart attack. Please note that there are no specific medications to prevent heart attack directly but maintain a healthy body, which will in turn prevent a heart attack.

Author Details:
M. A. Fulmar, copywriter for various websites including, Acid Reflux and The A to Z of.

Article Source: Top Health Articles

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See also: Acid Reflux