Cleveland Clinic states that coronary artery disease is the No. 1 cause of death in the United States in men. Coronary artery disease, or CAD, is caused by the development of atherosclerotic plaques in the arteries that feed the heart muscle. Atherosclerotic plaques are fatty substances that are deposited on the artery walls. These plaques impede blood flow to the heart and can cause heart attacks. When this happens, men experience several symptoms.
Chest Pain
Chest pain is caused by the blocked arteries and the resulting ischemia. Ischemia is a term used to describe tissue when it is dying due to lack of blood flow. When the blood flow to the heart is impeded, the heart's oxygen demand cannot be met. As a result, ischemia of the heart muscle ensues. Once the heart's oxygen reserve is used up, the patient will begin to experience chest pain. Chest pain is literally the pain of dying heart muscle. Many men with known CAD carry nitroglycerin to take when chest pain occurs. This medication helps to dilate the arteries, allowing more blood to pass through.
Diaphoresis
Diaphoresis is the term used to describe sweating in a patient who is having chest pain. Patients having chest pain feel anxiety and a sense of dread. These feelings are a result of stress which stimulates the fight-or-flight nervous system, also called the sympathetic nervous system. When stress occurs the brain releases cortisol which sets the sympathetic nervous system into motion. The heart rate is increased, muscles tense, digestion slows, breathing becomes rapid and shallow and diaphoresis occurs.
Atypical Angina
Occasionally, shortness of breath is considered to be atypical angina. This means that instead of having chest pain, a patient will have shortness of breath instead. Shortness of breath is not uncommon in men who have CAD. They may be short of breath with exertion or at rest. Patients who experience shortness of breath at rest are considered higher risk. According to the Merck Manual, atypical angina may also be felt as bloating, gas, indigestion or heartburn.
References
- Cleveland Clinic: Coronary Artery Disease
- "Integrative Medicine": David Rakel. 2007
- Merck Manual Online Medical Library: Angina Pectoris
