Differential Diagnosis for 26 yOM with Left Sided Chest Pain Radiating to Left Arm
Single Most Likely Diagnosis
- Musculoskeletal Pain: Given the patient's age and history of asthma without other cardiac history, musculoskeletal pain is a common cause of chest pain that radiates to the arm, often related to strain or overuse.
Other Likely Diagnoses
- Costochondritis: Inflammation of the cartilage that connects the ribs to the breastbone, which can cause sharp pains in the chest that may radiate to the arm.
- Precordial Catch Syndrome: A condition that causes sudden, sharp chest pain, often radiating to the arm, due to irritation of the nerves in the chest wall.
- Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD): Can cause chest pain that may radiate to the arm, especially after eating or at night, due to stomach acid flowing back into the esophagus.
Do Not Miss Diagnoses
- Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS): Although less likely in a young patient without cardiac history, ACS (including myocardial infarction) is a critical diagnosis that must not be missed due to its high mortality rate. The equal blood pressure between arms makes aortic dissection less likely but does not rule out ACS.
- Pulmonary Embolism (PE): Can cause chest pain that worsens with deep breathing and may radiate to the arm, with a history of asthma potentially increasing the risk of PE due to chronic respiratory issues.
- Aortic Dissection: Less likely given the equal blood pressures between arms, but this condition is so critical that it must always be considered in the differential diagnosis for chest pain.
Rare Diagnoses
- Pneumothorax: Although more common in patients with a history of lung disease like asthma, pneumothorax (collapsed lung) is a rare cause of chest pain that can radiate to the arm, often accompanied by shortness of breath.
- Pericarditis: Inflammation of the sac surrounding the heart, which can cause chest pain that may improve with leaning forward and can radiate to the arm.
- Esophageal Spasm or Rupture: Rare conditions that can cause severe chest pain radiating to the arm, often associated with difficulty swallowing or severe epigastric pain.