AboutDavid Richardson Expertise Adult heart function and disease. Not very good about children lesss than 12. Hypertension is o.k. Heart rhythm a special interest.
Experience Certified in cardiology by the American Board of Internal Medicine. Was chairman of division of cardiology at the Medical College of Virginia. Am now mostly retired.
Organizations Fellow of American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology and member of American Physiological Society..
Publications Circulation, American Heart Journal, Hypertension.
Education/Credentials M.D. from Harvard Medical School. Residency training at Yale Uhniversity School of Medicine and Medical College of Virginia.
Awards and Honors Gold Heartt Award from American Heart Association in 1995.
Question HI 32 MALE
I HAD A FULL CARDIO WORK UP BETWEEN SEPT 07 AND FEB 08 INCLUDING NUCLEAR STRESS TEST , 24 HOUR MONITORS, AND EKGS, ECHO'S CHOLESTOROL IS 187 NOTHING BAD EVERYTHING NEGATIVE. MY QUESTION LATKEY I HAVE BEEN HAVING OFF AND ON SHARP CHEST PAIN ABOVE THE LEFT NIPPLE , CENTER AND NEAR THE ARMPIT . AND I HAVE BEEN REALLY DIZZY I HAVE BEEN ON ATENONOL 25MG 1 TIME PER DAY TO CONTROL AN AT REST HEART RATE OF 120- 125 IT DOES A GOOD JOB BUT AM I MISSING SOMETHING. SHOULD I HAVE A SECOND OPINOIN SOMEWERE SO FAR THE DOCS HAVE ALL TOLD ME NOT WORRY , I WENT TO GASTRO DOC FOUND NOTHING AT ALL. I ALSO HAVE OFF AND ON HEADACHES AND BLURRY LEFT EYE WITH SPOTS, HAD A CLEAN BRAIN AND NECK MRI IN SEPT 07 ... I HAVE A LEFT ARM TREMOR AT REST AND WHEN IN USE ...WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS I WANT TO FEEL NORMAL ,
Answer Dear Matt,
The most common cause of sharp chest pains is cramping of muscles between and around ribs. You can prove this to be the cause if pressure on a painful spot modifies the pain, makes it better or worse. Chest wall pain is no threat to life or health.
Your dizziness may be overbreathing from fear about the pain. Next time you're dizzy, pay close attention to your breathing. If it's fast and deep, concentrate on breathing slowly and shallowly. If necessary, breathe through a brown-paper lunch bag covering your nose and mouth.
If the headaches are on one side of your head at a time, it's called migraine, which can cause blurry vision, tho zig-zag flashes of light in the visual field is more usual. A neurologist can help.
Please write back if this note doesn't answer all your questions.
