Transcript
Heartburn, for most people, means it’s a problem in the stomach with increased acid production and gastroesophageal reflex or acid content coming up the esophagus. But it’s really important to be able to distinguish between gastric, stomach related heartburn, and heartburn that could be more serious related to possibly heart disease and a heart attack. The way to distinguish the two is if you get a burning sensation in your chest or throat after a spicy meal, that’s different than if you get a burning sensation in your chest that feels exactly the same when you’re walking up the stairs. I’ve had many patients that have been given escalating doses of antacid medications when in reality, they needed either a stress test or an angiogram to try to identify blockages of the heart arteries. So if you experience heartburn, it’s always good to get checked out by a doctor, but if you’re experiencing heartburn that happens with activity, it’s really essential that you consult with your doctor and possibly a cardiologist.