Indigestion and heart attack are linked because many times patients who think they have heartburn or digestive upset are actually having a heart attack. Many of the sensations and symptoms associated with indigestion are also common with cardiac distress. This means that heart attack symptoms sometimes go unnoticed or unreported by the patient because they think they have indigestion, often resulting in a longer recovery or even death. In some cases, doctors may also have difficulty distinguishing between the two conditions in patients who complain of widespread chest pain.
The reason many people may confuse the symptoms of indigestion and heart attack is because both syndromes occur in close proximity to each other. The lower esophagus and the upper part of the stomach are located just above and below the heart muscle. The early symptoms of a heart attack are very similar to the burning, restless, and tight feeling associated with indigestion. In fact, many patients have gone to the emergency room thinking they were having a heart attack, only to be told they were suffering from trapped intestinal gas that had moved up into the upper digestive tract.
Although sometimes subtle, there are some differences between indigestion and heart attack symptoms. Indigestion should usually be confined to the chest and stomach area, whereas a true heart attack can start there and radiate down the left arm or shoulder. If there is severe vomiting, nausea, or shortness of breath, it should be assumed that the patient is not suffering from indigestion and medical treatment should be sought.
Although many would believe that a heart attack is much more painful than indigestion, this is not always the case. In some cases, intestinal gas or stomach acid can cause severe pain in the chest cavity that can easily be mistaken for a heart attack. Patients have described the sensations as stabbing, aching, or throbbing. That's why sometimes a doctor can't tell the difference between indigestion and heart attack until more tests are completed.
As a general rule, one can tell the difference between indigestion and heart attack by trying some basic pain relief tactics. For example, the pain of indigestion can be relieved by changing positions to a more upright posture, while a heart attack would not be affected. Over-the-counter medications, such as antacids, can also help relieve indigestion symptoms, but they may not have any effect on heart attack symptoms.