could i be developing heart disease, should i be concerned?

Hello mother of 173,

You have risk factors for cardiac causes of chest pain (high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and family history), and the symptoms you detail are concerning for ischemic heart disease.  I very strongly recommend that you see your primary care physician very soon (days not weeks) if you remain without symptoms.  If you develop chest pain again, I think that you should go immediately to your local emergency room.  Chest pain in people with risk factors and known heart disease (the abnormal stress test indicates you may have heart disease) needs to be evaluated sooner, not later.

I'm not trying to overly worry you, but, you need follow up on the results you already have obtained (EKG, stress test) and you need a further evaluation of your symptoms by a physician who can examine you.

Blood tests, an echocardiogram, and EKG will likely be repeated.  You may have chest x-rays and/or a cat scan of your chest. Depending on your results, another stress test may be performed.  You will likely also have a cardiac catheterization, a procedure where a small tube is inserted in the vessels in your groin then then threaded through your body to your heart.  This test is done to assess whether or not the coronary arteries (those that supply your heart with blood) are blocked.

Again, if any of your symptoms return, go to your emergency room.  And make an appointment with your physician soon.

To your health,

Neil MD