What a heart injury from a car crash means for your recovery
Insight from a cardiologist and a trauma clinician on monitoring and getting active again safely
A hard hit to the chest can hurt the heart muscle or throw off its rhythm. Doctors may call this a blunt cardiac injury or a myocardial contusion. Chest pain can also come from the ribs, the lungs or other problems. To find the cause, the hospital uses tests such as blood tests and an electrocardiogram, which records the heart’s electrical activity. A trauma clinician checks the whole chest injury. A cardiologist advises when a heart problem needs follow up. [1]
Find out what your heart tests showed
Ask whether your heart rhythm, heart blood tests or heart ultrasound came back abnormal. Find out if a rhythm problem showed up while you were monitored and whether it went away. Don’t assume a sore chest means your heart was damaged. Also, a heartbeat that feels normal doesn’t cancel out an abnormal test. Ask for a plain explanation of the diagnosis on your discharge papers. [1]
Get clear answers about activity
Ask when you can return to exercise, hard physical work and driving. The answer may depend on your heart results and your other injuries. You may have been given a heart medicine or told to check your pulse. If so, write down the dose, what it’s for and what change should make you call. Go to any follow up visit that was ordered, even if your chest is getting less sore. [1]
How to tell soreness from warning signs
Get emergency care if you faint or have new, severe chest pain or trouble breathing. Do the same for a fast or irregular heartbeat that won’t settle or makes you feel weak. These can be signs of a heart rhythm problem or another serious chest complication. Tell the emergency team about the crash and any heart tests that were abnormal. [1]
Questions about your heart results
- Did my heart rhythm or heart blood tests show anything abnormal?
- Do I need a heart ultrasound, a heart monitor or a follow up visit?
- When is it safe to get back to demanding activity?
Sum up your heart findings in two sentences
Read your discharge papers and write a two sentence summary of what they say about your heart. If you’re unsure about any part, ask the team to correct it. [1]
Sources and further reading
General information from the viewpoints of cardiology and trauma care. Chest pain, fainting, severe shortness of breath or a new irregular heartbeat that keeps going needs urgent medical care.
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