Chest pressure Assessment Questionnaire

Questions Your Doctor May Ask - and Why!

During a consultation, your doctor will use various techniques to assess the symptom: Chest pressure. These will include a physical examination and possibly diagnostic tests. (Note: A physical exam is always done, diagnostic tests may or may not be performed depending on the suspected condition) Your doctor will ask several questions when assessing your condition. It is important to openly share any pertinent information to help your doctor make an accurate diagnosis.

It is also very important to bring an up-to-date list of all of your all medical conditions, medications including dosages, and names of numbers of any specialist you see.

Create your printable checklist by answering questions that your doctor may ask below:

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When did the chest pressure start?
Why: to determine if acute or chronic. If acute onset must consider heart attack, pulmonary embolism. If chest pressure is chronic must consider angina, asthma or anxiety.
Is the chest pressure constant or intermittent?
Why: Constant pressure suggests heart attack, pulmonary infarction, asthma and pneumonia. Intermittent pressure would suggest angina, anxiety or panic attacks.
Where exactly is the chest pressure?
Why: e.g. heart attack and angina is typically behind the breastbone.
Does the chest pressure travel anywhere else?
Why: e.g. heart attack pressure may radiate to neck, jaw and down left side of arm.
What makes the pressure better?
Why: e.g. if pressure is relieved by nitroglycerine spray may suggest angina; if pressure is relieved by ventolin or similar sprays may suggest asthma.
Past medical history?
Why: e.g. diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, heart surgery, Rheumatic fever, heart attack, asthma, emphysema, deep venous thrombosis, anxiety, depression, panic attacks.
Family history?
Why: e.g. heart attack, angina, heart bypass surgery, anxiety or depression.
Cigarette smoking?
Why: may predispose to chest infections and bronchitis, aggravate asthma and increase the risk of angina and heart attacks.
Coughing up blood?
Why: must consider pulmonary embolism.
Fever and pus-like sputum
Why: should consider pneumonia or acute bronchitis.
Wheeze?
Why: may suggest asthma or acute bronchitis.
Shortness of breath?
Why: should consider asthma, pulmonary embolism, pneumonia and congestive heart failure due to heart attack.
Symptoms of anxiety or panic attacks?
Why: e.g. nervousness, tremor, palpitations, shortness of breath, rapid breathing, sweating.

Conditions listing medical symptoms: Chest pressure:

The following list of conditions have 'Chest pressure' or similar listed as a symptom in our database. This computer-generated list may be inaccurate or incomplete. Always seek prompt professional medical advice about the cause of any symptom.

Select from the following alphabetical view of conditions which include a symptom of Chest pressure or choose View All.

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