KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Recent advances in testing and diagnosis are giving answers to patients who have waited years to learn the cause of their chest pain.

Dawn Paitz, 56, suffered from debilitating chest pains for months that sometimes landed her in the hospital.

Even after doctors near the Lake of the Ozarks told her heart tests were negative, she continued to search for the cause of her pain.

“I knew something was wrong. I knew it,” Peitz said. “It’s really important for women not to stop when we know something is wrong. I think we know our bodies best.”

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After moving to Kansas City to be closer to her loved ones, Peitz experienced severe chest pain again and found herself at St. Luke’s University.

Again, conventional tests were negative for heart disease.

Doctors referred Paitz to the Mid-America Heart Institute at St. Luke’s at Country Club Plaza, where she underwent ANOCA, a new type of test to check for angina without obstructed coronary arteries.

Dr. Danny Jacob, an interventional cardiologist at the hospital, discovered that Paitz had this type of heart disease, which typically goes undetected for years before a diagnosis is made.

“I felt validated and confirmed that I have heart disease. I’m just different than everyone else,” Peitz said.

She now encourages other women to listen to their bodies when they’re in pain.

Jacob said giving patients the diagnosis they were looking for is what motivates him to continue developing tests and treatments.

“The biggest message is you are not alone,” Jacob said. “We have identified many patients and helped them improve their quality of life. So, don’t give up. We will find answers and do our best to improve your quality of life. I will do my best.”

St Luke’s Church is It is the first and only hospital in the region to offer ANOCA testing technology.

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