Heart attack and heartburn are two different conditions that can have a similar symptom: chest pain. And while some movie depictions of heart attacks make them seem like big, chest-clutching displays, that’s not always the case.
This article explores some ways to tell the difference between heartburn and heart attack. However, if you’re ever unsure about what you may be experiencing, it’s always better to be safe than sorry.
If your chest pain is making you nervous, head to the nearest emergency room.
要了解这两种情况如何导致胸痛，请考虑两者背后的原因。
Heart attack
Aheart attack（也称为
To understand ischemia, think about going from standing still to running a full-out sprint.
At the end of a few seconds, your lungs are likely burning and your chest feels tight (unless you’re a star athlete). These are some examples of very temporary ischemia that gets better when you slow your pace or your heart rate catches up.
但是，当一个人心脏病发作时，他们的心脏无法努力产生更多的血液流动。结果可能是胸痛，但其他症状也会发生。
心脏中的不同动脉向心脏的不同区域供应血液。有时，一个人的症状可能会因他们的心脏病发作而有所不同。
Other times, the symptoms are different because people’s bodies respond differently to lack of blood flow and oxygen.
胃灼热
胃灼热occurs when acid that’s usually in your stomach rises up into your食管(the tube between your mouth and stomach) and sometimes into your mouth.
The acid in your stomach is meant to dissolve foods and nutrients. Your stomach lining is strong enough so it’s not affected by the acid.
However, the lining of the esophagus doesn’t have the same kind of tissues as the stomach. When the acid comes up into the esophagus, it can create a burning sensation. This can cause chest pain and discomfort.
While heartburn and heart attack both have chest pain as a symptom, the areas in and around the chest that are affected by pain, and the pain sensations themselves, are slightly different.
胃灼热typically includes a burning sensation that starts in the upper part of the stomach and radiates to the chest.
A heart attack typically includes an uncomfortable sensation in the center or left side of the chest that’s sometimes described as pressure, squeezing, or a “fullness.”
Both heart attack and heartburn have additional symptoms, which may include:
| 胃灼热 | Heart attack |
|---|---|
| pain that usually takes place after eating | pain that comes on suddenly |
| 酸味 | 呼吸急促 |
| burning sensation in your throat | pain or discomfort in your neck, jaw, or back |
| discomfort in the shoulders (one shoulder or both) | |
| feeling weak or faint |
Again, if you’re feeling a very uncomfortable sensation in your chest and can’t be sure whether it’s heartburn or a heart attack, it’s always better to err on the side of caution and see a doctor ASAP.
Women and heart attacks
女性的心脏病发作症状与男性不同吗？
根据University of Utah, while the symptoms of a heart attack are technically the same in men and women, it’s possible that women may experience pain differently than men.
This differentiating pain threshold level may cause women to either underreport symptoms or simply ignore them.
This pain threshold difference is not scientifically proven, however, and there are
Another reason women may have a different reaction to symptoms of a heart attack is that this health issue is sometimes portrayed as a “man’s issue” in popular culture.
但是根据
So it bears repeating: If you’re feeling tightness or pain in your chest, and you can’t think of a direct cause, call 911 or local emergency services, or get to a doctor as soon as you can.
The questions below are designed to help you if you’re ever in a situation where you’re trying to decide whether you or someone else is experiencing a heart attack or just heartburn.
1. What makes your symptoms better?
With heartburn, sitting up and takingantacidsusually helps the pain. Lying flat and bending forward makes it worse.
With a heart attack, antacids and sitting up likely won’t improve your symptoms. Activity will usually make them worse.
2. When did you last eat?
With heartburn, you’re most likely to have symptoms within a couple of hours after eating. If you haven’t eaten anything in a while, it’s less likely your symptoms are reflux-related.
通过心脏病发作，您的症状与饮食无关。
3. Does the pain radiate?
With heartburn, your pain may go up to your throat.
With a heart attack, the pain may go up to the jaw, back, or down one or both arms.
4. Are you short of breath or sweating?
有了胃灼热，您的症状通常不应该如此严重。
With a heart attack, these symptoms can indicate ischemia and a need to seek emergency medical attention.
心脏病发作和胃灼热并不是唯一的原因胸痛, but they’re two of the most likely ones. Other potential symptoms include:
- Anxiety attack.严重的回合anxietycan cause panicked feelings that may make you feel as if your heart is racing. Othersymptomsinclude shortness of breath and intense fear.
- Esophageal muscle spasm.有些人的食管会收紧或痉挛。如果发生这种情况，一个人可能会感到疼痛和不适，
such as chest pain . - Gallbladder pain.The gallbladder is responsible for releasing bile that the body uses to digest fats. It canbecome blocked or diseased(such as with gallstones), causing
symptoms 就像肩膀，手臂和颈部的疼痛，以及恶心和呕吐一样。 - 胸膜炎。This（健康）状况is an inflammation of the tissues in the chest wall, often due to intense coughing or inflammation from an infection.
If you’re having chest pain that you think could be a heart attack, don’t drive yourself to the emergency room. Always call 911 or local emergency services so you can get medical attention as quickly as possible.
心脏没有适当的血液流动的时间越多，心肌可能造成的损害就越多。这就是为什么如果您认为自己可能正在心脏病发作，那么等待或犹豫不是一个好主意。
While a key symptom of both heart attack and heartburn is chest pain, there are other symptoms that can help differentiate between the two issues.
However, it’s always better to be cautious than to simply default to “I’m fine, it’s probably nothing.”
If you’re ever in a situation where you’re experiencing chest pain — especially if it comes on suddenly and is accompanied by pain in your shoulders or nausea — call 911 as soon as you can.