For more information
The Heart Foundation website is a great source
of reliable information:
 http://www.heartfoundation.org.nz/k
now-the-facts/conditions/angina
Chest Pain
 http://www.heartfoundation.org.nz/k
now-the-facts/conditions/heart-attack
Advice
following
your ED
visit
Your chest pain
What to do now?
Smoking
You have been seen in the Emergency
Department (ED) with chest pain.
If you have further chest pain that last
for less than 15 minutes, please make an
appointment to see your GP for review
within 48 hours.
Smoking leads to an increased risk of
heart disease as well as many other
medical problems. If you are a smoker,
one of the best things that you can do for
your health is to stop smoking.
Your examination, blood tests and heart
trace (ECG) do not show a dangerous
cause for your pain today.
Your medical assessment shows that there
is no sign of any heart muscle damage on
your tests today.
A heart attack (myocardial infarction)
occurs when not enough oxygen is
reaching the heart muscle.
If can cause many symptoms, including
tight squeezing chest pain, chest pain that
also goes to the back, arms or jaw pain
that feels like indigestion, a heavy or
numb feeling in the chest or arms or chest
pain with shortness of breath, vomiting or
sweating.
Chest pain is an important symptom and
even though your tests were normal
today, it is important to get help if you
have further episodes of pain.
If you are not able to get an appointment
then please return to the Emergency
Department for assessment.
If you notice that you are having chest
pain when you are walking or exercising
that goes away when you rest, please see
your GP for review within 48 hours.
Your GP may recommend a specialist
referral or further investigations.
Call 111 for an ambulance if you have:
 Chest pain that lasts more than 15
minutes
 Very severe pain
 Palpitations (racing heart)
 Collapse or faint or loss of
consciousness
 Pain that also goes to your back,
arms or jaw
 Sudden shortness of breath
 Chest pain and sweatiness
 You feel very unwell with your
pain
If you would like further information or
support to quit, please call Quitline on
0800 778 778 or visit their website at
http://www.quit.org.nz
General Health
If you have not been to your GP in the
past year, please make an appointment
within a week for a general health check
up, including assessment of your long
term heart disease risk factors such as
blood pressure, cholesterol and blood
sugar levels.