Sudden Chest Pain: Heart Attack or Harmless? - AI Podcast

Story at-a-glance Not all sudden chest pain signals a heart attack — less than 6% of emergency room visits for chest pain are life-threatening, according to a 2016 JAMA study Precordial catch syndrome, often triggered by poor posture or growth spurts, causes short, stabbing chest pain but is harmless and usually resolves on its own within minutes Digestive issues like gastritis and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) cause chest discomfort that mimics heart conditions; triggers include spicy food, alcohol, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and stress Other non-cardiac causes include panic attacks, rib strain, or costochondritis —these are painful but generally self-limiting and improve with rest, posture correction, or over-the-counter medications Life-threatening causes like pulmonary embolism or aortic dissection require urgent care; if chest pain radiates or includes fainting or breathlessness, seek emergency help immediately