Had the feeling of pressure coming up my esophagus and my heart started racing. could this be heart trouble? i have gerd.

GERD: The symptom you describe is compatible with gerd. In a 51y/o man a cardiac problem is also possible.

Could be either : It's always better to make sure your heart is ok first because heart problems can be fatal, whereas gerd or esophagus spasms are not that dangerous. See your primary care to get it sorted out. May need tests for both the heart and esophagus to figure it out.