Six types of stomach pain that can kill you

Abdominal pain is the most common reason for visits to the emergency department and is also the most complex clinical symptom. If misdiagnosed or mistreated, it may be life-threatening. The following six very dangerous diseases will all have abdominal pain symptoms.

Acute myocardial infarction

About 8% of patients with acute myocardial infarction present with sudden severe upper abdominal pain in the early stages, accompanied by nausea and vomiting, with or without local tenderness, which can easily be misdiagnosed as acute perforation of gastric and duodenal ulcers, acute cholecystitis, etc. Middle-aged and elderly patients with a history of coronary heart disease and angina pectoris should be alert to acute myocardial infarction if they suddenly experience severe upper abdominal pain.

Angina

Angina can present as pain in the upper abdomen that is activity-related and relieved by rest. A few cases may present with resting upper abdominal pain, which can easily be misdiagnosed as acute gastroenteritis.

Abdominal aortic aneurysm

Abdominal pain, abdominal distension, a palpable pulsating mass in the abdomen, and low back pain are the most common manifestations of abdominal aortic aneurysm rupture. Once it ruptures and bleeds, it is extremely dangerous.

Aortic dissection

More than 90% of patients with aortic dissection experience sudden, severe, persistent, and intolerable pain. The location of pain may sometimes indicate the location of the tear, which is most common in chest pain, but may also be accompanied by back pain and abdominal pain. It is often misdiagnosed as acute gastric perforation or acute pancreatitis. If hypertensive patients experience persistent, tearing abdominal pain accompanied by low back pain, and inconsistent pulses in the bilateral dorsalis pedis arteries, they should seek medical attention immediately.

Mesenteric vascular ischemic disease

Mesenteric vascular ischemic disease is a syndrome of intestinal ischemic necrosis and intestinal motility dysfunction caused by acute and chronic intestinal blood perfusion insufficiency and reflux obstruction due to various reasons. The disease develops suddenly, with early symptoms including sudden severe abdominal cramps, nausea, frequent vomiting, and diarrhea. Once extensive intestinal obstruction and intestinal necrosis occur, the patient mortality rate is very high.

Severe acute pancreatitis

Patients experience abdominal pain, bloating, nausea, vomiting, and fever. It is an acute abdomen with a rapid onset, many complications, and a high mortality rate.

If severe and persistent abdominal pain occurs, you must seek medical attention promptly. In order to make a clear diagnosis, examinations such as electrocardiogram, blood routine, blood biochemistry, troponin and abdominal CT are necessary.