Several conditions cause symptoms that can mimic heart attacks. These are the most common:
• Indigestion and reflux esophagitis, hiatus hernia and esophageal spasm, acute gastritis
• Gallbladder disorders
• Lung infections such as pleurisy and pneumonia
• Pericarditis
• Chest wall pain originating from the muscles, ribs, intercostal nerves or costochondral joints, or due to costochondritis
• Arm pain and tingling and numbness in the left or right upper limb, not related to exertion such as a brisk walk
Rest assured that about half of all patients admitted to the hospital because of chest pain are not having a heart attack. These patients usually have an unstable form of angina pectoris, chest wall pain, stomach problems (in particular, reflux esophagitis with esophageal spasm), gallstones, and very rarely pericarditis. Occasionally no cause can be found.
A. Indigestion and Stomach Problems
Indigestion can be distinguished from the symptoms or discomfort caused by a heart attack. Pain of a heart attack can be present in the pit of the stomach (upper epigastrium) and the lower sternal area and may even be burning in type. Burning pain is more common with stomach and esophageal pain and is relieved by antacids, but the burning caused by a heart attack is not relieved by antacids. Associated profuse sweating or shortness of breath points to a heart attack rather than stomach or esophageal pain. Pain from ulcers in the stomach does not cause sweating, but it is related to meals and is often relieved by antacids.

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