title: The pathophysiology of non-cardiac chest pain.
abstract: Various underlying mechanisms have been described in patients with non-cardiac chest pain (NCCP). By far, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is the most common cause and thus requires initial attention when patients with NCCP are managed. Esophageal dysmotility can be demonstrated in 30% of the NCCP patients, but appears to play a very limited role in symptom generation. A significant number of patients with NCCP lack any evidence of GERD and have been consistently shown to have reduced perception thresholds for pain. Peripheral and/or central sensitization have been suggested to be responsible for visceral hypersensivity in NCCP patients. Further understanding of the underlying mechanisms for pain in patients with NCCP will likely improve our current therapeutic approach.
authors.affiliation: The Neuro-Enteric Clinical Research Group, Department of Medicine, Section of Gastroenterology, Southern Arizona VA Health Care System and University of Arizona Health Sciences Center, Tucson, AZ 85723-0001, USA.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Van Handel
authors.forename: Ronnie
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fass
mesh_terms: D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology; D002637:Chest Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004947:Esophagus / Q000503:physiopathology; D005745:Gastric Acidity Determination; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D006930:Hyperalgesia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018670:Monitoring, Ambulatory; D014781:Viscera / Q000503:physiopathology*