as a cardiologist, this is not news at all

I've seen multiple, multiple people in the ER who tell me they are having "12 out of 10" chest pain inbetween sending texts on their cell

It becomes a problem, and causes physicians to dismiss even the real deal--probably accounting for the people unfortunately who are truly suffering from a heart attack that are sent home

Keep the indicator simple; if anyone has chest pain, please do call 911, especially when chest pain comes along with nausea, problem in breathing or trying to fight for the air, pain on shoulder or arm, or any epigastric discomfort.

My father had a heart attack that really should have killed him. He experienced back discomfort for a while and couldn't sleep. He had little or no chest pain. I think the issue is that for dramatic purposes, Hollywood has associated a heart attack with severe chest pain and, not being doctors, the average viewer just accepts that what they are seeing is accurate. After all, the heart is in the chest and it must hurt to be under attack. Oddly enough, when he told my mother that he needed to go to the hospital, despite the lack of chest pain, he knew he was having a heart attack. And trust me, there was no texting. He went into arrest as soon as he was wheeled into emergency and coded twice before the could stabilize him enough to get him to a hospital that was better equipped for his needs.

I have chronic costochondritis. It's inflammation at the rib to sternum joints, totally unrelated to heart trouble. My doc still does an EKG every now and then because she says the pain of the costochodritis could easily mask a cardiac event as it will likely be less painful than my inflammation spikes.

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