Heart Artery Disease

• Introduction
• Chest pain
  • Angina
  • Other chest pain
• Heart attack (myocardial infarction)
  • Introduction
• Assessment of the heart arteries
  • Treadmill stress test
  • Stress echocardiogram
  • Stress nuclear studies
  • Angiogram- invasive
  • Angiogram- CT
• Treatment of heart artery disease
  • Medication
  • Stent treatment
  • Heart bypass surgery

Angina

Development of plaque causes the heart arteries to narrow. The narrowing does not affect blood flow until there is at least fifty percent narrowing.

The heart muscle obtains oxygen and other nutrients, such as glucose, from the blood. When the heart has to pump more forcefully and rapidly, such as with exercise, it requires more oxygen and glucose. The blood flow to the heart increases with exercise to meet this increased demand.

When the heart muscle does not obtain the necessary amount of oxygen and glucose, symptoms referred to as angina develop.

Angina usually manifests as a discomfort or pain in the center of the chest. The discomfort may also be felt in the arm or arms, the neck, or the back.

Some may only feel discomfort in the arms or back or neck and not in the chest.

Some only report a sensation of breathlessness. Not infrequently, angina is misinterpreted as indigestion.

Classical angina occurs with exercise or under stress. However, when angina first develops, it can also occur at rest.