A cardiologist is a heart specialist. They specialize in treating heart conditions and diseases as well as helping patients manage their heart conditions. A cardiologist will treat any symptoms of heart diseases that you have and diagnose any possible heart conditions.

Although most people think of chest pain as a symptom of a heart problem/heart attack, it can be caused by many things. Chest pain can be a symptom of following diseases.

• Heart diseases, like myocardial infarction (heart attack), coronary artery disease (blockages in the blood vessels of your heart), pericarditis (inflammation of the lining of heart), aortic dissection (a tear in the wall of aorta) or aortic aneurysm (bulging section of aorta).
• Digestive problems such as gastroesophageal reflux disease(acidity), an ulcer, gallstones, esophagitis (inflammation of lining of esophagus), hiatus hernia (slippage of abdominal organs in chest cavity) or gastritis.
• Lung problems such as a pulmonary embolism (a blood clot in an artery of your lung), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pneumonia, pleuritis (inflammation of the membrane around your lungs) or pneumothorax (air inside your pleural cavity)
• Musculoskeletal problems, such as a broken rib or muscle spasm.
• Cancer involving structures in the chest.
• Stress, anxiety or panic attacks.

Chest pain can be a symptom of a heart attack. Others include:

• Sweating.
• Nausea or vomiting.
• Shortness of breath.
• Light-headedness or fainting.
• A rapid or irregular heartbeat.
• Pain in your back, jaw, neck, upper abdomen, arm or shoulder.

• Sensation in the chest of squeezing, pressure, burning, tightness in the retrosternal area
• Radiation to the shoulder, neck, inner arm, jaw, epigatrium
• Lasts for a few mintues
• Abolishes with rest.

About 30% of all heart deaths are caused by cigarette smoking and smoking is the single largest preventable cause of heart diseases. Globally tobacco causes 6 million deaths every year.

Among other things, the nicotine in smoke causes:

• Less oxygen to the heart
• Higher blood pressure and heart rate
• More blood clotting
• Damage to cells that line coronary arteries and other blood vessels

There are some risk factors that you can’t do anything about (Non modifiable). These include:

• Being male
• Being a woman who is post menopause
• Being older
• Having a family history of heart attack or coronary artery disease

Other risk factors can be controlled. These include:

• Smoking
• High cholesterol
• High blood pressure
• Lack of exercise
• Obesity
• Diabetes
• Unhealthy diet
• Stress

By improving your habits, you can cut your risk of heart attack.