There are several causes for chest pain

Angina—Chest pain results when a clogged coronary artery restricts blood flow to the heart. It may feel like pressure or a squeezing pain in your chest. Pain may also occur in shoulders, arms, neck, jaw, or back. It may also feel like indigestion. There are two types of angina:

• Stable—Comes on with exercise, is predictable and controlled with drugs
• Unstable—Comes on with little exercise, or even while resting. The intensity increases. This pattern often precedes a heart attack

Heart attack—A blood clot blocks blood flow to your heart and heart muscle begins to die. Causes pressure, fullness, or a crushing pain in your chest that lasts more than a few minutes. Pain may radiate to the back, neck, jaw, shoulders, and arms, especially the left arm. Other symptoms may include shortness of breath, sweating, dizziness, and nausea.

Many non-cardiac problems can also cause chest pain:

• Heartburn-related chest pain usually follows a meal and may last for hours. Symptoms occur more frequently when you bend at the waist or lie down
• Panic attacks, a form of anxiety, include periods of intense fear accompanied by chest pain, rapid heartbeat, rapid breathing (hyperventilation), profuse sweating, and shortness of breath

It is important to know the difference between these symptoms and those indicating a cardiac problem.

The difference 

The key difference between angina and heart attack is the blood flow. In angina, blood flow is temporarily reduced.

In a heart attack, blood flow to the heart muscle is suddenly stopped.

Heart attack symptoms 

Andrew Nugent, MD, UI Hospitals and Clinics emergency medicine physician, says the classic heart attack symptoms for both sexes include:

• Squeezing pain or pressure in chest, arms (especially left), back, neck, jaw, or stomach
• Shortness of breath, feelings of weakness, anxiety
• Sweating

Symptoms that more likely appear in women include:

• Indigestion or gas-like pain
• Dizziness, nausea, or vomiting
• Unexplained weakness, fatigue
• Discomfort/pain between shoulder blades
• Cold sweats
• Jaw pain
• Sense of impending doom