How can I tell the difference between chest pain from breathing and cardiogenic chest pain?

The presence of pain after holding your breath is one of the most important and effective ways to distinguish respiratory chest pain from cardiogenic chest pain. Breathing chest pain is typically characterised by a reduction in pain after holding the breath, with deep inspiration and violent coughing triggering or worsening the pain. In contrast, the pain symptoms of cardiogenic chest pain have little to do with the altered state of breathing. Even if the breath is held, the patient still has symptoms of chest pain and the symptoms are mostly not reduced or effectively relieved.