by Steve Christensen

Created on: May 25, 2010

Everyone knows that chest pain can signal an impending heart attack. This classic symptom, known as angina (an-JI-nuh), is caused by narrowing of the arteries that supply blood and oxygen to the heart muscle. Clogged coronary arteries – otherwise known as coronary heart disease – contribute to nearly 500,000 deaths in America every year.

However, not all chest pain arises from coronary heart disease, and severe coronary heart disease doesn’t always cause chest pain. Unfortunately, many individuals undergo extensive medical evaluation for chest pain that is not related to heart disease, and some people have heart attacks without experiencing any chest pain whatsoever.

Furthermore, the coronary arteries are not the only blood vessels in the body that are susceptible to blockage: Any organ whose blood supply is compromised can be damaged, and symptoms of such blockage – which can range from deceptively subtle to incapacitating – vary according to the organ which is involved.

Most people worry about “the big one” – that is, interruption of blood flow to the heart or brain which leads to a heart attack or stroke. They are usually less concerned about diminished blood flow to other organs, probably because impairment of those organs is less likely to be immediately life threatening. It should be remembered, though, that all of the body’s blood vessels are subject to the same lipid levels, blood pressure, and inflammatory processes that lead to arterial blockage in major organs, and people with risk factors for vascular disease (diabetics, smokers, individuals with hypertension or high cholesterol, etc.) should be especially concerned when symptoms of arterial blockage occur.    

Symptoms of Coronary Artery Blockage

While the crushing chest pain that is classically associated with myocardial infarction (heart attack) is the subject of television commercials and public education campaigns, a significant number of persons with advanced coronary heart disease do not experience chest pain…even when they are in the midst of a heart attack. Diabetics and women, in particular, may exhibit unusual symptoms of coronary artery blockage, and nearly anyone with coronary heart disease can experience variations on the classic picture.

Signs and symptoms of coronary heart disease – many of which are initially associated with exertion and relieved with rest – include:

-Chest pain or pressure

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>