There are several conditions that may cause heart pain. According to the U.S. Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health, any organ or tissue in the chest cavity can be a source of pain, including the nerves, tendons, ribs, muscles, esophagus, lungs and heart. While heart-related pain can be difficult to differentiate from other sources of chest pain, proper diagnosis and treatment is important for avoiding long-term complications.
Angina Pectoris
Angina pectoris, or simply angina, is a condition that causes heart pain. According to the American Heart Association, or AHA, angina is the medical term for chest pain or discomfort secondary to coronary heart disease, or CHD—narrowing of the small arteries that bring blood and oxygen to the heart. Angina is symptomatic of myocardial ischemia, a condition that occurs when the cardiac muscle cells receive insufficient blood and oxygen. The AHA states that lack of blood flow to the heart occurs when one or more of a person's coronary arteries are narrowed or blocked, and that it most frequently manifests when the heart's demand for blood is high, such as during heavier-than-usual physical exertion, although some people may still experience angina while at rest. The AHA notes that angina signals an increased risk of heart attack, cardiac arrest and sudden cardiac death.
Pericarditis
The Mayo Clinic states that pericarditis is a swelling or irritation of the pericardium—a thin, sac-like membrane enveloping the heart—and that the onset of acute pericarditis typically is sudden and its symptoms short-lived. Chronic pericarditis develops more slowly and persists. The Mayo Clinic notes that the sharp chest pain that characterizes pericarditis is caused by the rubbing together of two inflamed layers of the pericardium, and that less severe cases of pericarditis often self-resolve. Chronic cases of pericarditis should be managed with the assistance of a health care professional, and treatment in the early phases of the condition can decrease the risk of long-term complications. The Mayo Clinic states that common causes of pericarditis include a heart attack, systemic inflammatory disorders, chest wall trauma and certain medications.
Mitral Valve Prolapse
According to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, or NHLBI—a division of the National Institutes of Health—mitral valve prolapse is a condition in which the mitral valve, one of the heart's valves, does not work properly. The NHLBI states that the valve's flaps are floppy and fail to close tightly when the heart beats, which occasionally results in the backflow or regurgitation of blood from the ventricle—the chamber that pumps blood to the body's tissues and organs—into the atrium. Mitral valve prolapse can cause dyspnea or shortness of breath, heart palpitations and chest pain, although many people who have mitral valve prolapse never experience symptoms or complications. The Mayo Clinic states that mitral valve prolapse may be hereditary or caused by the following conditions: Marfan syndrome, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, adult polycystic kidney disease or Ebstein's anomaly.
