When the arterial blood supply to the heart becomes partially or completely blocked, it affects the amount of oxygen and nutrients available to the muscle. The heart requires a constant supply of oxygen to function. According to Merck Manuals Online Medical Library, coronary artery disease was once thought to be a man’s disease because men develop it approximately 10 years earlier than women. Women are protected by high levels of estrogen until menopause.
Stable Angina
Angina is a squeezing pain or pressing feeling in the chest caused by blockages in arteries that supply the heart. According to Family Doctor, angina can be present during activities that require additional oxygen supply to the muscles, such as exercise, walking, sex or climbing stairs. You may feel pain in the arm, neck, jaw, chest or shoulder areas. When present with activity and goes away easily, it's called stable angina, which may or may not require medication to relieve stress on the heart muscle.
Unstable Angina
Unstable angina is the first sign of a heart attack. When the pattern of pain changes, occurs without activity or worsens with mild activity, it's a danger sign of unstable angina. According to Family Doctor, unstable angina is also treated with medications but may also require emergency care at the hospital. If chest pain doesn't go away with rest and medication, or if the pattern of pain has changed, seek immediate medical attention.
Myocardial Infarction
This is a medical term used to describe a heart attack. The U.S. National Institutes of Health describes a heart attack as a period when the heart muscle is unable to get enough oxygen to maintain cell life and the heart muscle is permanently damaged. Chest pain from a myocardial infarction may be mild or severe. It can be felt in only one part of the body or may move from the chest to the arms, neck, teeth, jaw, belly or back.
Reduced Exercise Tolerance
Dr. Richard Klabunde describes how the increased oxygen demand on the heart during exercise can lead to angina and result in a reduced ability to exercise. Walking, jogging, climbing stairs, sex, carrying groceries, gardening and cleaning may cause angina pain. The amount of exercise that causes the lack of oxygen in the heart muscle depends upon the degree of blockage in the coronary arteries and how many arteries are blocked.
Heart Failure and Arrhythmias
Angina may lead to small areas of the heart that suffer from ischemic heart damage due to lack of oxygen. Although the damage is permanent, you may not experience enough pain to recognize you have had a small heart attack. Dr. Klabunde explains that when there is acute or chronic ischemic damage caused by coronary heart disease, it can affect the mechanical and electrical abilities of the heart muscle. These changes can lead to heart failure and heart arrhythmias that are not curable.
