Chest Pain Treatment in Singapore
Chest pain can stem from multiple origins, which are broadly categorised into cardiac (heart-related) and non-cardiac causes. Nonetheless, chest pain can disrupt our day-to-day lives, making it difficult to focus on work or do tasks around the house.
At our clinic, we provide comprehensive chest pain treatment in Singapore.
Dr Gerard Leong is an experienced cardiologist who investigates and manages heart conditions. As a dedicated chest pain specialist in Singapore, Dr Leong can evaluate your symptoms and determine whether they point to a cardiac issue or an alternative medical condition.
Understanding Chest Pain and Your Heart
Chest pain is any discomfort, pressure, squeezing, or aching sensation felt in the chest area, and can range from muscle strain to more serious conditions.
The primary role of a cardiologist when assessing this symptom is to investigate your cardiovascular system and rule out serious cardiac issues.
Since many different organs and tissues reside within your chest, such as your heart, lungs, oesophagus, muscles, and ribs, discomfort can originate from various areas.
At our clinic, we identify the origin of your discomfort.
When you experience chest pain, the priority is to confirm that your heart is receiving adequate blood flow and that its chambers and valves are performing normally. After our diagnosis, we provide an appropriate management plan for your health and comfort needs.
When Should You See a Cardiologist for Chest Pain?
Not all chest discomfort requires emergency intervention, but recurring or unusual sensations should not be ignored.
If you notice persistent discomfort, consulting a chest pain doctor in Singapore can help you understand your risks and catch potential cardiovascular issues early.
If you have a family history of heart disease or if you live with underlying health conditions, seeking the advice of a chest pain specialist is a prudent step to safeguard your long-term health.
Below, we outline the differences between symptoms that require a scheduled specialist review and those that constitute a medical emergency.
Symptoms That Warrant a Cardiology Review
Certain signs indicate your heart may be under stress, especially during physical activity. We recommend scheduling a clinical consultation if you notice any of the following symptoms:
- Exertional Chest Discomfort: Chest tightness, pressure, squeezing, or an aching sensation that occurs when you exert yourself, such as walking up a hill or climbing stairs.
- Recurring Pain: Chest discomfort that comes and goes intermittently over days or weeks, rather than a single isolated event.
- Associated Breathlessness: Chest pain or heavy breathing that occurs alongside shortness of breath, even during low-intensity tasks.
- Palpitations: A fluttering, pounding, racing, or irregular heartbeat sensation that accompanies your chest discomfort.
- Unexplained Fatigue: A sudden, noticeable reduction in your physical stamina or an unusual sense of exhaustion during routine daily activities.
- Dizziness or Light-headedness: Feeling unsteady, faint, or dizzy when you experience sensations of chest tightness or an irregular pulse.
Cardiovascular Risk Factors to Monitor:
Your personal health profile plays a major role in your overall heart health. You should be significantly more vigilant regarding the symptoms above if you have any of these underlying medical conditions or lifestyle factors:
- High blood pressure (hypertension)
- High cholesterol (hyperlipidaemia)
- Diabetes mellitus
- A current or past habit of smoking
- A family history of early heart disease, heart attacks, or cardiac events
- An inactive or highly sedentary lifestyle
Rather than waiting for symptoms to worsen, a timely clinical consultation allows us to evaluate these warning signs early, identify the root cause of your discomfort, and implement preventative measures to protect your cardiovascular system.
Emergency Warning Signs (Call 995 Immediately)
If you or someone next to you experiences severe, crushing, or squeezing chest pain like a heavy weight sitting on the chest, do not wait to see if it passes.
Call 995 for an ambulance or go to the nearest Accident & Emergency (A&E) department immediately.
Other emergency symptoms to watch for include:
- Pain or discomfort that spreads to your left arm, shoulder, neck, jaw, or back
- Sudden, severe shortness of breath
- Profuse sweating or breaking out in a cold sweat
- Unexplained nausea, vomiting, light-headedness, or fainting
These signs can indicate an acute heart attack, where a coronary artery is completely blocked. Immediate medical attention is vital to preserve heart muscle tissue and save lives.
Do not attempt to drive yourself to the hospital, as this may cause further injury to yourself or others; let the emergency services take care of you.
Common Heart-Related Causes of Chest Pain
When chest discomfort is linked to your heart, it usually means that the heart muscle is not receiving enough blood or that another part of the organ is inflamed or under strain.
Several cardiovascular conditions can manifest as chest pain.
Our objective is to determine exactly which condition is causing your symptoms so that we can recommend a proper management approach.
Coronary Artery Disease and Angina
Over time, fatty deposits known as plaque can build up inside the coronary arteries, which are the blood vessels supplying your heart muscle.
This accumulation narrows the arteries, reducing the volume of oxygen-rich blood that reaches your heart.
When your heart has to work harder during exercise, emotional stress, or after a heavy meal, the narrowed blood vessels cannot deliver enough blood to meet the increased demand.
This momentary lack of blood supply causes a type of chest pain known as angina.
Angina often feels like pressure, tightness, or squeezing in the centre of the chest. It lasts for a few minutes and improves when you rest or take prescribed medication.
Other Cardiac Causes
While coronary artery disease is common, chest discomfort can also arise from other heart-related conditions. We look beyond arterial narrowing to determine if your symptoms relate to one of these alternative cardiovascular issues:
- Pericarditis: This is an inflammation of the fluid-filled sac surrounding your heart. It typically causes a sharp, stabbing chest pain that can travel to your shoulder or neck. This discomfort often worsens when you breathe in fully or lie down, and it may ease when you lean forward.
- Myocarditis: This condition involves inflammation of the heart muscle itself, often triggered by a recent viral infection. It can cause a persistent, dull ache or pressure in your chest, accompanied by fatigue and breathlessness.
- Valvular Heart Disease: When a heart valve fails to open or close properly, your heart muscle must work much harder to pump blood. This ongoing strain can cause chest tightness or pain, particularly during physical activity, as well as dizziness and physical fatigue.
- Arrhythmias: Rapid or irregular heartbeats can disrupt how efficiently blood is circulated. When your heart beats too quickly or chaotically, its own oxygen supply can drop, causing a fluttering sensation and chest ache.
- Aortic Dissection: This is a serious condition involving a tear in the wall of the aorta, the main blood vessel leading away from your heart. It causes sudden, severe chest pain that often feels like a tearing or ripping sensation, which radiates to your back or between your shoulder blades.
- Coronary Artery Spasm (Prinzmetal’s Angina): This is a temporary tightening of the muscles within your heart’s arteries that briefly restricts blood flow to your heart. Episodes typically occur at rest, often between midnight and early morning. It may also be triggered by cold, emotional stress, smoking or hyperventilation.
- Cardiomyopathy: This disease causes your heart muscle to become unusually thick, enlarged, or rigid. The thickened muscle walls can outgrow their blood supply, leading to a heavy chest sensation or pain during exertion.
A thorough cardiac evaluation is necessary to confirm whether one of these conditions is present.
Non-Cardiac Causes of Chest Pain
It is important to remember that a large percentage of chest pain cases are not related to the heart.
Your chest contains muscles, bones, nerves, and part of your digestive system, all of which can cause pain.
For instance, acid reflux or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) can cause a burning sensation in the chest that mimics heart pain.
Musculoskeletal issues, such as a strained chest muscle or inflammation of the rib cartilage (costochondritis), can also cause localised pain that is sharp and tender to the touch.
Stress and anxiety can lead to sudden episodes of chest tightness, rapid breathing, and a racing heart, which can at times be mistaken for a cardiac event.
Consulting a cardiologist is highly valuable in these situations. Once we confirm your heart is healthy, we rule out any potential cardiac causes so your primary doctor can take over with the non-cardiac issue.
How We Assess Chest Pain
We look at your symptoms from multiple angles. Depending on your initial assessment, we may recommend one or more diagnostic investigations.
Consultation and Medical History
During your consultation, we will gather from you how the pain feels, when it occurs, how long it lasts, and what relieves it.
We will also evaluate your complete medical history and check for cardiovascular risk factors like high blood pressure, diabetes, or a genetic history of heart disease.
A physical examination follows, where we listen to your heart and lungs and check your blood pressure.
This initial conversation helps us select the appropriate diagnostic tests for your situation.
Electrocardiogram (ECG)
An Electrocardiogram (ECG) is a non-invasive test that records the electrical activity of your heart.
Small adhesive patches are placed on your chest, arms, and legs to detect the heart’s electrical impulses.
An ECG helps us check your heart rhythm and detect irregularities, such as an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia).
It can also reveal signs of reduced blood flow to the heart muscle or indicate if you have experienced a past heart attack. This test provides us with baseline data during your evaluation.
Cardiac Stress Test
Some heart issues only become apparent when your heart is working harder than usual. A Cardiac Stress Test evaluates how your cardiovascular system responds to physical exertion.
During this test, you will walk on a treadmill while we monitor your ECG, heart rate, and blood pressure.
If your coronary arteries are narrowed, the stress test can reveal changes in your heart’s electrical activity or symptoms such as chest discomfort that do not appear at rest.
This helps us see if your heart muscle is receiving sufficient blood supply under physical stress.
CT Coronary Angiogram
A CT Coronary Angiogram is an imaging scan that allows us to look directly inside your coronary arteries.
It combines a standard CT scan with an injection of a special contrast dye to create three-dimensional images of your blood vessels.
This scan detects calcium, fatty plaques, or arterial narrowing. It provides a clear view of your arterial health, helping us evaluate your risk for coronary artery disease.
Blood Tests
We perform Blood Tests for Heart Health to evaluate various biomarkers that influence your cardiovascular risk.
These tests measure your cholesterol profile, blood sugar levels, and kidney function, giving us a clearer picture of your overall metabolic health.
In cases where acute heart damage is suspected, blood tests can measure cardiac troponin levels. When heart muscle cells are injured, they release these markers into the bloodstream, allowing us to rule out or confirm active heart muscle stress.
Cardiac Catheterisation and Coronary Angiography
If non-invasive tests suggest a blockage in your arteries, we may recommend Cardiac Catheterisation.
A thin, flexible tube is guided through a blood vessel in your wrist or groin up to your heart. Contrast dye is then injected directly into the coronary arteries, and X-ray images are taken.
This allows us to see the exact location and severity of any arterial blockages.
Treatment Options for Heart-Related Chest Pain
Once we complete your diagnostic assessment and determine the cause of your chest pain, we will discuss an appropriate management plan.
Treatment focuses on reducing your symptoms and lowering your cardiovascular risks.
Lifestyle and Medical Management
For many patients, heart-related chest pain can be managed through conservative means.
We encourage lifestyle modifications, which may include adopting a heart-healthy diet, regular exercise, managing stress, and a gradual quitting plan for smoking if you smoke.
In tandem with lifestyle changes, medications play a core role in your treatment.
We may prescribe medications for your specific condition, whether it’s to lower your blood pressure, reduce cholesterol levels, prevent blood clots, or relax your blood vessels for improved blood flow.
This combined approach aims to support your long-term heart health. Learn more about our comprehensive approach during a Heart Checkup.
Coronary Angioplasty and Stenting
When an artery is significantly narrowed or blocked, and medications alone are not enough to manage your symptoms, a procedure called Coronary Angioplasty may be necessary.
During angioplasty, a tiny balloon is guided to the site of the blockage and inflated to widen the narrowed artery. A small mesh tube, called a stent, is then permanently placed in the artery to keep it open. This procedure can reduce chest pain and improve your overall quality of life by ensuring your heart gets the oxygen-rich blood it needs.
What to Expect at Your Consultation
When you arrive at our clinic at Farrer Park, our team will welcome you and guide you through the initial registration process.
Your initial consultation with Dr Leong will last approximately 30 to 45 minutes. To help us conduct a thorough review, bring along a list of your current medications, any recent blood test results or imaging reports, and a referral letter from your family doctor if you have one.
After your history and physical examination, we will discuss whether further diagnostic tests are needed, outlining the next steps for your care. Our goal is to ensure you leave our clinic with a clear plan forward.
Why Choose Dr Gerard Leong for Chest Pain Assessment
Dr Gerard Leong has been a specialist in cardiology since 2005, bringing nearly 20 years of dedicated experience to his patients.
He has trained extensively both in Singapore and internationally, having completed advanced fellowships at world-renowned institutions, including Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, USA, and The Alfred Hospital in Melbourne, Australia.
Dr Leong’s subspecialty interests include advanced heart failure, echocardiography imaging, and the management of ischemic heart disease, giving him a comprehensive perspective on complex cardiovascular conditions.
Our clinic is conveniently located at Farrer Park Medical Centre. Our practice prioritises patient-focused care, taking the time to listen to your concerns, perform thorough investigations, and recommend appropriate, evidence-based treatments tailored to your individual health needs.
Related Heart Services
If you want to explore our other diagnostic and therapeutic cardiac options, you can read more about them through our dedicated service pages:
- Heart Checkup: Meticulous screening programmes designed to evaluate your baseline cardiovascular risk factors.
- Cardiac Stress Test: Evaluating how your heart responds under exertion to detect hidden issues.
- Electrocardiogram Assessment: Checking your heart’s electrical rhythm and baseline activity.
- CT Coronary Angiogram: An imaging scan to look for plaque and blockages in your arteries non-invasively.
- Cardiac Catheterisation: Precision diagnostic procedures to locate arterial narrowings directly.
- Coronary Angioplasty: Restoring optimal blood flow to the heart muscle using stenting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is chest pain always heart-related?
No, chest pain is not always a sign of a heart condition. Your chest houses many different tissues and organs. Discomfort can be caused by non-cardiac issues, including muscular strains, rib cartilage inflammation, acid reflux, or anxiety. However, because cardiac issues can be serious, it is important to have a chest pain specialist in Singapore evaluate you to rule out heart disease.
When should I see a cardiologist for chest pain?
What tests are used to investigate chest pain?
To evaluate chest pain, we typically start with a consultation and an electrocardiogram (ECG). Depending on your symptoms, we may recommend a cardiac stress test to evaluate your heart under physical exertion, a coronary CT angiogram to assess for blockages, or blood tests to check your lipid levels and metabolic markers.
Is chest pain on exertion serious?
Can anxiety cause chest pain?
Yes, anxiety and panic attacks can cause sudden chest tightness, a racing heart, and shortness of breath. While anxiety is a non-cardiac cause, it is vital to have your heart checked by a specialist first to confirm that your cardiovascular system is entirely healthy before attributing the symptoms solely to stress.
Speak to a Cardiologist About Your Chest Pain
If you are experiencing chest discomfort and want to check your cardiovascular health, we encourage you to schedule a visit with us.
Our team provides a supportive environment and helps you understand your symptoms. We guide you through the proper pathways for your well-being, allowing you to live a more comfortable life.
To book a consultation or to find out more about our services, contact our clinic. We are located at Farrer Park Medical Centre, conveniently accessible for your medical appointments.
1 Farrer Park Station Road
#13-09 Farrer Park Medical Centre, Connexion
Singapore 217562
Phone: +65 6993 7353
Email: clinic@drgerardleong.com