Diagnosis and Treatment Choices for Heartburn Angina Symptoms

When to seek medical opinion in case of Heartburn Angina Symptoms

In case antacid use is occasionally like a day in a week or less, then it is deemed fine, but more than a day in a week for 6 months or more and no signs of improvement then it is time to visit the doctor.

Medical Evaluation of Heartburn Angina Symptoms

The physician would conduct a battery of tests and the below mentioned steps would be followed in case unrelenting heartburn has shown no signs of allaying despite modifying dietetic intake.

• An EKG test would be necessary for excluding any heart-associated issues.
• In case heart disease is being doubted then a coronary angiography would be necessary. A coronary risk profile would also be needed. The person’s ECG would be supervised by the doctor in charge.
• Exercise stress test is done for evaluation of the heart’s capability of withstanding extent of physical stress. A stress echocardiogram examination would additionally be conducted.
• An exam for checking presence of any irregular growth or mass or hiatal hernia. Hiatal hernia develops due to the LES and upper section of stomach moving over the diaphragm.
• Blood pressure level would be checked.
• A meticulous examination of medical case history for checking whether particular medicine intake is the reason for heartburn.
• A gastric emptying study would be conducted for seeing the speed at which food passage in the stomach occurs or test for showing how ably the LES and esophagus are functioning.
• Upper endoscopy exam would be advised wherein a fine pliable, camera-fitted tube would be introduced inside the esophagus for checking any harm or irregularities

Heartburn Treatment

• In case the heartburn is not complicated then non-prescription or prescription drugs would be advised. Commonly prescribed antacid medicines include Mylanta, Tums, Maalox or Rolaids. High power medicines known as proton pump inhibitors like Nexium, Protonix, Aciphex, Prilosec are quite effectual in healing the esophageal cell lining. Medications such as Pepcid, Tagamet also help in lowering the amount of acid being produced whereas other medicines like Reglan aid in emptying the stomach.
• Modifying lifestyle like curbing foods that elicit heartburn could also be helpful. Also eating heavy meals is to be avoided, not consuming a heavy meal in 2 hours of going to bed and avoid lying down flat shortly after eating a meal. Reducing stress could additionally assist in reducing heartburn episodes. In case one is not smoking then quitting the habit as it could be a heartburn triggering factor.
• In case heartburn is arising during exercising then attempt doing exercises on a comparatively empty belly and taking heartburn medicine prior to exercising.
• In case, neither of these approaches are providing adequate assistance then surgical intervention would become necessary. Surgery could be performed for repairing hiatal hernia or for strengthening the LES muscle.

Angina Treatment

• Angina is treated with medicines inclusive of blood pressure lowering pills. In case the patient is diabetic or has some form of ailment then more prescription medicines would be offered. Pains or discomforting sensations felt in the chest are allayed with the use of Nitroglycerin.
• People who are at risk of suffering a heart attack would be given clopidogrel which prevents blood clots forming that could affect the arteries. Blood pressure lowering medicines like beta blockers, calcium channel blockers and ACE inhibitors would also be part of the treatment. Nitrates prescription would be advised in case of chronic angina.
• In case the problem is associated with heart disease then surgery would become necessary. Percutaneous coronary intervention procedure would be performed for opening the coronary artery blockage.